Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day
by E-merging2.0
Summary: A young Nora Rogers is sent to live with her Uncles on a beautiful, bright summer day. It's all downhill from there. Rewrite.
1. No More

**See the end for author's notes.**

 **Chapter 1. No More**

Night was drawing near, and so were the closing hours for the public library. Nora checked her watch for the fourth time in the last two and a half minutes. It was nearly time to leave, ' _Which means leaving a temporary sanctuary and not getting to pretend that this summer isn't going to happen.'_ Nora looked back down at the same page in her book that she had been on for nearly her for about ten minutes now, trying to shake the urge to check her watch once more. Instead, she replayed the conversation between her mother and her once more:

" _It's going to be a longer trip—an island excursion, and then I'll spend several days on land and I think I ought to pack that one sundress with the blue flowers? What do you think—Nora?" When her Mom got excited, her train of thought was a little ambling, but then, Nora did the same thing too._

" _Huh? Oh—uh. Right. Blue sundress. Totally, Mom." She hadn't been able to stop fiddling with the fringe on the couch pillows. Her mother noticed._

" _Sweetie. It's only for a couple of months. This trip will be good for both of us, I think! You don't even have to leave the state."_

 _Nora had wanted to tell her mother that going to Florida with Grammy and Pops was way better than spending the months with_ _him_ _—but then so was most things. At least, in her opinion. Which would most certainly not go over well with Sugie at all. For an instant, Nora thought of telling her mother exactly what she thought of her having to stay with her Uncle while her mother went on a vacation in the tropics._

 _But she had looked over at her mom—her red secretary glasses perched on her nose, sitting cross-legged on the worn rug with her laptop and information papers spread out around her in a circle. With her hair pulled up in a messy bun, because boyfriend #2 had liked ladies with long hair. And she was clutching a mug with thin fingers, her boney shoulders drawn up and her eyes tired._

 _Boyfriend #5 had liked thin chicks._

" _This'll be good for you too Mom." Nora had managed a tight smile, and her mother's beam released some of the tightness in Nora's stomach._

That tightness had returned full force, though.

At first, she could blame it on finals and ignore the impeding approach of her summer time. Unfortunately, there wasn't much she could blame her nerves on now, unless she wanted to pretend to be overly stressed about the close times for her local library.

Back to the present, Nora notices the middle-aged librarian sparing her a glance, as if to ask, 'Are you leaving soon?' It never made sense to Nora why a public library would close _earlier_ on a Friday but, then again, she didn't make the rules. _Now isn't_ that _the truth?_ She sighed loudly as she dog-eared her book and put it away into her backpack. She stood, bending this way and that in order to crack her back. Once satisfied, she saluted the librarian at the check-out desk.

"See you when I see you, Ms. Joanna," she called as she walked out.

"Walk safely," Ms. Joanna softly responded, locking the door as soon as Nora closed it behind her.

 _Welp_ , she thought, _better head home and—_ the sound of a painfully familiar engine interrupted her thoughts and she turned slowly, mortified. _No. Way_.

Around the corner, somehow, came a massive van that seemed in danger of either dropping its bumper, blowing the gasket or both. The caustic colors seemed to glare in the setting sun, its horrid green and tacky orange a blot on the street. As if its sheer size wasn't enough, the loud paintjob only made it worse. People were giving it looks, and not the kind they saved for ogling the few Cadillac's in Coolsville.

As her mom put it, it was a mystery that machine even ran.

After a laborious attempt in which the vehicle was only asked to stop, there was the sound of the window being rolled down—actually by the _physical action of turning a handle_ , because the newest thing in the Mystery Machine was maybe its driver, certainly not its crank-down window function.

"Norry! Hi kiddo!" said her Uncle Shaggy, either oblivious or uncaring to the looks.

Nora almost thought about schooling her features and hide how mortified she was. Almost. Though, let's face it, that would be mission impossible and her surname was nothing close to 'Bond.' Her eyes still as wide as saucers, Nora blurted out, "What are you doing here?" She cleared her throat and corrected herself, though she made no move to approach the vehicle, "I mean, mom was going to drop me off. After I packed. _Later_. Remember, Uncle Shaggy?"

"Like, don't worry kiddo." Shaggy shot her a warm smile, finally putting the van in park on the side of the road.

"Senility hasn't hit your old Uncle yet. Sugie's plane left a few hours ago, Norry. I thought she told you? C'mon and climb in—ooh, Scooby-Doo!" His tone turned corrective, if fondly exasperated. "Hang on buddy, you'll see her in a second."

 _Mom left already_? It hurt. Bad, actually. But it was a lot easier to focus on her other emotions. So she rolled her eyes in annoyance. _Yeah, maybe if had a_ phone _I could have gotten a ca-wait, what?_

"What?" She managed, feeling a little numb. Nora felt her throat go dry. "S-Scooby? You mean your dog? He's in there?"

Shaggy turned back to look at her. "Huh? Of course, you know old Scoob goes everywhere with me. Hop in kiddo, we're burning daylight." He teased. "Scoob's in the back, you get shotgun."

Nora was glued to her spot on the concrete. She crossed to the other side of the street if a dog on a leash was walking towards her. No way would she ride with one at her back trapped inside a death-trap known as her Uncle's van. Let alone one as big as Scooby-Doo, who seemed as clueless as he did large.

"I-I'm good to walk," she answered, swaying a little. "You know us kids these days. Always inside, never away from a screen longer than thirteen minutes a day..." she chuckled nervously.

Shaggy arched an eyebrow, giving her a strange look. Sure, it had been a while since they'd seen their baby niece, but she wasn't a baby anymore. 'Cept when she kinda talked like that, he sort of found himself wondering if he was imaging things, but her tone sounded... _familiar_ , but he couldn't quite place it.

"It's like seven miles to my place, kiddo. C'mon, I made ya macaroni and cheese for dinner." He patted the side of the van encouragingly.

Nora fought a cringe each time Shaggy uttered the words 'like; and 'ya.' She did not, however, fight her cringing in the least when he called her that stupid name he had been calling her since before she could walk. "Great," she huffed under her breath, but had the decency to keep her next string of rant to herself. _It's not like I wanted to see my house or room or anything that is important to me that I won't see for the next couple of months. You know, like my_ mother _._

Letting anger mask her hurt, Nora pulled on the rusty passenger door as hard as she could to open it. She tossed in her knapsack and then heaved all four feet and eleven inches up, literally, onto the old leather upholstery. She could hear the choking of the air conditioner, and the engine as it chugged away with no small amount of complaining. She half expected the door to come right off and drop onto the ground—but the hinges, though unhealthy looking, seemed just as stubborn about holding as she did about even entering the piece of junk in the first place.

She had to admit though; the vans seats had miraculously found their way to the point where they were aged from use, but worn and soft almost to something resembling comfort.

"Aw, kiddo, I'm sorry. I know this isn't the big send off you wanted to give your mom, but don't worry. You'll see her soon enough." Shaggy gave her a sympathetic look, but it was covered as Scooby-Doo's head came swinging over the backseat, his giant black nose snuffling toward her skinny shoulder. There was a loud banging noise from the back of the bench, Scooby's thick tail was smashing against the side of the van he was so excited—and Nora wanted none of it.

Nora gasped and threw herself backwards—and almost out the open door, if not for Shaggy grabbing her arm before she fell out and broke her neck. She squirmed as her Uncle pulled her upright. "You said he would stay back there, didn't you?" Nora grimaced as she felt a wet nose poke her shoulder a second time, blowing hot doggy breath at her. She swallowed an instinctive gag.

"Ri Rora!" The Great Dane swung his head around, getting a friendly scratch from his human before he moved back closer to the smaller human, a big goofy grin on his face and his ears pricked.

"Huh? Like, he is kiddo." Shaggy said, pulling her back in place and waiting for her to close the door.

She swallowed hard, doing her best not to whine as she turned and used all her might to close the heavy door. She got it on the second try, also with a second save by her Uncle.

Once it was closed, Nora sat as close to the door as she could. Though that didn't stop Scooby from keeping close to her.

She did her best to ignore him. And by ignore him; she was engaging in a lot of internal screaming to keep from _actually_ screaming.

Shaggy shoved the gear, the van ambling out onto the street with a combination of noises that old vehicles seem to make, but once it did the ride was surprisingly smoother than one would expect.

"You okay, Norry?" She was all pressed against the door like a little mouse. He couldn't imagine why, his driving wasn't _that_ bad. His racing days were over.

Scooby nosed her shoulder gently, giving a little puppy whimper, hoping for pets. Where was the little girl that had ran headfirst into him because she was so excited she'd missed Dooby? (Scooby plus Doo to a little child apparently totaled into Dooby.) Where was the little girl with a missing tooth that had rode him around-he was Hi-Ho Silver, she was The Lone Ranger!

...Lone Ranger was right. She didn't seem to want anything to do with him.

It turns out that seven miles can feel like seventy in the right situations. Nora just tried to focus on keeping her breathing even. Her heart was not pounding, no way were her knuckles were white and she definitely wasn't digging her nails into her seat. Nora didn't look over at her Uncle when he asked his question because it would be mighty hard to ignore the existence of the Great Dane to her left if he was taking up her entire view.

"Kiddo?" Shaggy prompted, making Nora give a little half blink.

Keeping her eyes forward, Nora answered in a strained tone, "Yeah. Just tired."

Boy, did she sound it.

Shaggy heard her exhaustion. Scooby-Doo heard something else.

"Almost home, Norry." He said, hoping to soothe.

He was so focused on his driving he didn't notice that big head slowly withdraw from where it was resting. Scooby flopped across the back bench and moped quietly, wondering what he'd done wrong. Stretching his long body out, the gangly hound stayed where he was for the remainder of the trip, mulling things over in his mind.

After a moment, Nora dared to peek over her shoulder to see Scooby had given up on trying to get her attention. She exhaled a long breath before looking forward once more. Her shoulders were still tense but a little less so now.

As the van rocked back and forth over the curb and into the driveway, Nora squeaked and had to grab onto the handle above her in order not to fly down onto the floor.

"Sorry, kiddo. Here we are." Shaggy hit the brakes. "Think I better get Fred to take a look at the breaks again, eh Scoob?" said the beatnik conversationally as he slammed the van into something that resembled park.

"Reah."

"What's eatin' you, Scooby-Doo?"

But his dog just shrugged a little, itching his shoulder as a way of distraction.

Nora unfastened her seatbelt and opened the door, hopping down to the pavement onto her two feet. She ran up the walk to the front door of her and her mother's home. On the welcome mat she found a large-ish duffle bag and a suitcase packed and waiting for her. Along with a note that read:

 _Dear Nora and Shaggy:_

Sorry you missed me, my flight was bumped up several hours than expected! Oh well! Nora, behave for your Uncle and Shaggy, don't let her give you too much steam!

 _~Love and Kisses, Mom and Sister  
_

Nora sighed, folding the note into her pocket. She hauled the duffle bag over her shoulder and used her free arm to pick up her suitcase, then all but waddled her way back to the van, though at a purposefully slower pace.

Shaggy had gotten out, and was waiting for her with the back doors of the aged van wide open.  
"Usually I drive the jeep if the gang's not coming along. But that thing can't hold enough, and it's never been the same since Scoob and I went down south."

"Rhosts!" Was Scooby's explanation.

"Ghosts and mud." Shaggy conceded, taking her heavy suitcase and putting it in the back.

Nora snorted, handing over her luggage. "I'm sure the ghosts are to blame for not keeping up on your automobile maintenance," she said a little meanly.

"Nah, but they sure did a number on the carburetor." Her Uncle said amicably, setting the duffle bag alongside the suitcase before closing the back doors and heading back toward the driver's seat.

"Ready to go?"

Noticing Nora seemed a lot calmer this time during the ride, Shaggy hit the radio.

"Turn it to whatever you want, Norry." He offered, letting his elbow dangle out the window as the van choked up a hill with a few distant clanks. This didn't seem to bother Shaggy or Scooby in the least.

Some country song was coming in and out through the speakers with much static in between notes. Not sure if it was due to the station or due to the state of the van and radio itself, Nora scrunched her and hit several buttons until settling on something that was a remix cover of something else. She shrugged. It was a tolerable choice. And minimal static.

Shaggy chuckled and apologized for the radio.

"Radio's fine, kiddo. We had it tuned in to Arizona though; I think the van's lookin' for a station that's a couple states away." He said, wondering why it felt like he was talking to an empty passenger seat.

"Uh, so, how's school kiddo?" He prompted quietly.

"It's over," she answered, less than pleasantly but honestly. "Finished my last exam today."

"That's good kiddo!" He tried, but the conversation just sort of...died? He was a little relieved when they turned on his street, and he instantly felt bad as the van came to a rocky standstill in the driveway of the old, yawning sideways Victorian. Wasn't Nora's fault she hadn't gotten to say good bye to her mom, with only a note and two packed bags to go room with her Uncles who she hadn't seen in almost two years.

He'd be a little sour too, come to think of it!

"C'mon Norry, we'll bring your stuff in, you can head up to the attic. We got ya all set up there, figured there'd be plenty of room, nice view too."

Nora opened her mouth to make some sarcastic comment about being put up into the attic when she thought it over. The attic meant the entire top level to herself and possibly some privacy. That was much welcomed. Her stomach made a grumbling gurgle and she had the grace to blush.

"Can I at unpack after dinner?" She asked.

"Course you can!" Shaggy smiled, giving the duffle bag to Scooby. The Great Dane took it cheerfully, having come to his own conclusions. Shaggy was so excited to have their niece here, and he was too. Nora would come around, the dog was sure.

In the meantime, the best he could do was be there for her.

Nora didn't much like the idea of the dog's slobber all over the straps to her bag but at least she didn't have to carry it up the stairs. And mumbled a quiet, "Thanks," to her Uncle as she slid out of the van and slipped on her knapsack. She followed them inside, several paces behind Scooby.

Getting her stuff up the stairs wasn't the issue—all of them fitting up the little stairway was. Still, they managed to make it work, Shaggy coming down first and leaving Scooby to drop the duffle bag at the foot of the little twin mattress.

"I just gotta warm up the grub, kiddo, okay?"

The dog finished, and swung his head over to Nora, lifting his head hopefully. His big brown eyes watched her, head tilting as his tail gave a pleasant wag.

Nora kept her eyes trained the dog as she nodded and answered Shaggy, "Okay." She looked at Scooby as if challenging him: "Do. NOT. Jump. On me."

Scooby stared at her. Usually it was the other way around, but he decided to let that go.

"Ro'kay, Rora." The dog said instead, sitting back on his rump to itch at his shoulder in _juuust_ the right spot. His collar tinkled lightly as he did so, ears flip-flopping.

Dog he might be, at least he could listen and take a hint once in a while.

Nora walked quickly by him as he scratched himself.

She hopped down the pull-down ladder and down the stairs to the second floor. She left the swing down ladder hanging down from the ceiling for two reasons. One, she was going back up later anyway. And two, if it went all the way up, she would have to have Shaggy grab the pull string to let the stairs descended. She only admitted the first reason to herself, and decided to pause at the closest door to the attic. (Oh, and not to mention to dog still upstairs sniffing about in her things. Probably shouldn't lock into upstairs either. Though, he had short fur, maybe the he could stand the heat better than his long-furred cousins?)

She remembered this house pretty well, and she wondered why she wasn't in the guest bedroom this time. Turning the bronze knob, she pushed at the heavy wooden door. She forgot, in old houses like this the doors would swell in the summer heat. It opened rather soundlessly despite its weight, and she fumbled for the light switch on reflex.

Well. That explained a lot.

The rest of the house _looked_ presentable, but it was obvious that over the years the guest bedroom had fallen to the lowly position of 'storage space.' She eyed the stacked cardboard boxes, overfilling with thick worn books. Written on almost all the boxes was: 'Velma's' in her Uncle's scrawling, messy handwriting in worn sharpie. Nora picked up a book off the top at random, unsurprised it was a mystery, but rather surprised to see how old it was, and that it was about a plantation. Other books were about seemingly random topics, peppers, a book on cat worship—weird—and history books on New Orleans. She replaced the book gently as possible, her attention caught by the dying sunlight glinting on glass.

Sitting beside those was something ever more interesting. At least, she had never seen a huge stand up mirror like that. That was odd, this mirror had never been here before. And considering how close it was sitting to the door, Nora suspected it was on its way out, maybe with the books to Velma's. This one wasn't labeled to any in particular, but Nora poked around the back and read that it belonged to a Colonel Jackson T. Pettigrew. Like the books, the mirror was dust free entirely, but the contents behind them sat in a moderately organized fashion. What was Uncle Shaggy doing with a mirror that had something like this on the back? She glanced around the room for answers, a small frown on her lips. A thin layer of dust coated a picture frame with an all-girl band— _with fangs, Uncle Shaggy what on earth_ —and some quilts that boasted they were from Oakhaven's Finest. Nora's nose scrunched as she chalked it up to one of his many dumb, probably-fake-as-all-get out cases, and she quickly abandoned the mirror and the contents of the once-livable bedroom.

Just another sign of those silly ghost-hunts proving more important than the family he left in Coolsville.

Her stomach grumbled more as the scent of dinner wafted its way from the oven. If nothing else, she missed her Uncle's cooking, she would give him that. But the recent inspection of that bedroom had left her feeling a little sour. She walked down the hall and down the stairs that lead to the living room. She turned left once on the first floor and went straight to the kitchen. She had forgotten that her Uncle kept his house so...managed. Clean, save for maybe a bit of dusting, and not cluttered or anything.

Upon entering the kitchen, Nora found that Shaggy had the food out and ready to go as fast as the old stove could work it, and in the meantime he got out plates and silverware, humming to himself as Scooby came barreling around the corner from the living room.

"Roy boy, roy boy!"

"I made double, Scoob old pal! For once, we might have some leftovers." He giggled, "We'll let the niece of honor help herself first. Go ahead, kiddo."

Not having to be told twice, Nora sat down at the table and piled the food high on her plate and began eating before her Uncle even started to fight Scooby for the serving spoon. She loved food and it could be difficult to get her attention when she was trying to savor the flavors of an especially delicious meal. Though when she broke away from her food to down some milk, she saw Scooby sitting across from her at the table. She froze and swallowed hard, which hurt a little because she definitely could have chewed that last mouthful a little more thoroughly.

" _What_ is he doing at the table?"

Dogs were supposed to eat from bowls on the floors in the back corner of the kitchen, right?

"What's what doing at the—" Shaggy's mouth caught up with his eyes, his gaze following the point of his niece's fork to his best friend who was chowing away at the table. She was in his spot but he wasn't about to make waves when there was mac and cheese to eat, and hopefully ice cream for dessert.

"Oh—Scoob? Well, where's he supposed to eat, Norry?" Shaggy chuckled a little, going back to his meal.

If teenagers were known to be rational people then Nora probably would have been able to step back and tell herself to calm down; that this really wasn't worth at that much fussing. But as it were, fourteen year olds were not particularly rational. In fact, they could be terribly irrational. Nora grew furious. The grip on her fork tightened as she tried to stop herself from glaring but only just.

"He's. A dog. Dogs eat from bowls on _the floor."_

Well, _that_ got Scooby's attention. He lifted his head a bit, collar jingling, and went 'Rog? Where?' curiously as Shaggy blinked a little at her retort. He even lowered his fork, something in her tone catching him off guard.

"Scooby's never done that, kiddo, you know that." He tried joking, giving her a little smile.

"Ri am?" came Scooby's clueless answer as he lapped down his milk. Their baby niece was here less than three hours and she was speaking in riddles-odd!

Still watching her, noting how tense her shoulders were, Shaggy pressed, "Norry, hold on a sec. What's wrong with Scoob sittin' at the table, dog or not?"

It was probably her fear of dogs, her sadness after feeling she'd been left behind and a bit of confusion that prevented her from corralling her temper into something manageable. Instead, Nora dropped her fork on her plate. "Nothing. I'm not hungry. Can I be excused?" She asked as she got up from her seat anyway.

Shaggy almost commented on the fact there was hardly a dent in the mound of cheesy goodness congealing on her plate. He thought better of it, for whatever reason.

" _Ro_ dessert?" Came Scooby's incredulous question.

"Like yeah!" Shaggy piped up. "I made peach cobbler—your favorite!"

At least, it had been when she was little.

Shaggy was just starting to get the inkling; things were no longer like they had been when Nora was little.

Avoiding looking at Scooby any more than she had to, Nora shook her head. "No thank you," she said, her tone still tense, "I grew out of that. I don't like that anymore." And with that, she turned and walked out of the room and headed for the stairs.

"Like..." But she was already gone, and he finished with a soft, "Okay."

When she was out of sight, his boney shoulders dropped a little.

A keen eye noticed this, and Scooby gave him a worried look, complete with worried whine.

"It's okay Scoob-o. Let's eat up, yeah?"

Scooby did not fail to observe that even as his human said this, Shaggy's fork did little more than push the remaining noodles around in their cheesy sauce.

* * *

Nora kept herself from stomping her feet up the stairs, but only just. Shutting the door to the attic firmly behind her, she let her shoulders sag, climbing the last of the steps to her temporary room.

 _This is going to be such a long summer_ , she thought to herself moodily as she began to pace. _I didn't want to come here! I get why mom wanted to go find a potential husband but why do_ I _have to suffer?_ She had asked her mother—multiple times—if she could had gone down to Florida to live with her grandparents but the answer had been no. _I would have so preferred to go live with Grammy and Pops for the season than with the beatnik and his dumb dog..._

Nora gave a small yelp as she stumbled over her suitcase. Making an annoyed sound, she switched on her bedside light. Nora wanted to just curl up and drop onto the bed that wasn't hers when something caught her eye. An old, brown stuffed dog toy was waiting for her on the bed on top of her pillow. Nora froze.

 _My…old stuffy_... Nora picked up the toy, _Uncle Shaggy must have_... _I didn't see it when we were up her before….._ her heart dropped and she whined.

* * *

There goes an old saying that Shaggy lived by. Things always get worse before they get better.

And things were hardly close to better. Which meant when the phone starting ringing, he shouldn't have been so surprised that it was work bad news.

"Like-really? The _whole_ wall? Ceiling now too, huh? ...Yeah, yeah. No, I understand."  
Scooby-Doo, who was just starting to pick up the dishes, cocked an ear curiously. Shaggy liked his job at the restaurant, downright loved it in fact. _Much_ better than that temporary gig they worked at the airport. It was rare to see him look so gloomy while talking to his manager. Scooby abandoned his washing in favor of walking over to Shaggy, nails clicking gently on the old wood floor.

"It's no problem, boss, like really! The restaurant comes first—if she needs a break like, we do too." Shaggy sounded so earnest, but Scooby couldn't help but wonder if his owner was trying to convince the person on the phone or himself. Lying his head on his paws, Scooby waited quietly, his lopsided ears pricked.

"Okay. Yeah...see ya in October then. Bye."

"Raggy?"

"Zoinks, this is just great. When it rains it pours, old pal." Shaggy made it all of four steps before he collapsed back into his chair at the table, he stuck an elbow on the surface. Letting his forehead rest in a palm, he rubbed at his stubby goatee tiredly, like he always did when he was nervous and thinking.

"What's rhong?" came the worried mutter from his best friend. Glancing down at the giant hound now standing by his left knee, he laid his free hand on that head and rubbed without really thinking about it. Scooby leaned right into the touch, but big brown eyes bored up at Shaggy with intensity so firm it would unnerve a person who wasn't so used to it.

"The asbestos in the restaurant—it wasn't just in a side wall like we thought. It was in the whole ceiling buddy. What I thought was going to be a couple weeks vacation just turned into several _months_ vacation. And they like, can't pay me of course, 'cause I ain't working."

"Roh." Whimpered the big dog sympathetically. He closed his eyes, leaning into the touch of his owner and let him simply pet him a moment before Shaggy's hand fell away, and Scooby opened his eyes.

'S'not Mr. Kellen's fault, or nothin'. But jinkies we need the money, Scoob."

He and Scooby both turned to look at the stairs they had least seen their guest go up.

"…and we just got another mouth to feed."

* * *

It took her several false-starts and practiced apologies before Nora worked up the courage to tip-toe back down stairs. She peeked her head around the corner at the bottom of the stairs. She couldn't see him from this angle but she heard the soft clattering of dishes and running water coming from the kitchen. She sighed softly.

 _He doesn't want to see me after acting like a piss-baby_ , she thought to herself, beginning to turn on her toes to escape back upstairs. _No, you at least owe him this. And the sooner, the better. If he yells, you deserve it, Nora Elaine_.

Nora took a deep breath before walking into the kitchen doorway and still waited a few seconds before making her presence known by clearing her throat. Tugging on her hair, there she stood, all four something feet of her with no shoes and a frazzled braid in her fingers.

"H-hey, Uncle Shaggy?" With each syllable, her tugs became a touch harder.

Shaggy turned his head, throwing a quick glance over his left shoulder as he pushed the hot water off and shook his hands a few times. His lips stretched into that familiar lopsided smile.

"What's up kiddo?" He asked as he grabbed a towel. Was it her imagination, or did that smile take a minute to reach his eyes? Was he tired? Of her, probably. And then of course, just as Nora expected the worst, her Uncle turned around and from left field went sympathetically,

"Want something else to eat, huh? Can't sleep on an empty stomach, you know."

 _I think it would have been easier if he just yelled at me._.. she thought miserably. The peach cobbler was in the center of the table, just waiting for someone to sample it. Nora made a note of it and was probably already planning on sneaking a piece—or three—in the middle of the night when Shaggy and Scooby were long asleep.

"I, no, thank you," she declined, politely this time. "I just...never thanked you for dinner. It was good," she said, her tone much smaller than the daring one she used at the table less than forty-five minutes ago. The mumble of her voice just made the gangly man's expression more affectionate and worried, complete with a little head tilt Scooby would be proud of.

Shaggy was quiet and still for all of three seconds before his face split into a bigger grin.

"Well you're welcome kiddo! I'm glad ya liked it, the recipes from your grandma after all." He said, stepping over his buddy who was stretched out happily on the rug in front of the fridge. As he passed, Scoob's tail thumped halfheartedly, since he was almost asleep.

 _Oh, it definitely would be better if he yelled at me_. Now, it wasn't that Nora was used to yelling. Sugie was a great mom, especially considering their rough start. Having had Nora when she was the tender age of seventeen and with no support from Nora's " _father_ ," things had been tight, but never bad, really. Sugie was good with Nora, even if she did struggle sometimes and she was tired more than she was rested. This isn't to suggest that neither daughter nor mother were without her faults. But they stuck close. And Nora knew when she overstepped her boundaries and needed to be reprimanded. And her mother was not shy about taking a tone right back at her. _So why isn't Uncle Shaggy mad?_

When he stepped toward her, Nora stepped back. She tried to smile but she probably looked bashful at best, "Um, yeah. I remember last time she visited she made it. It's one of my favorites."

"Gee, that musta been a few years ago. They haven't been up in a while if I can recall correctly." The beatnik mused as he headed into the hallway to turn off the porch light and lock the door before he forgot.

"Like, jinkies! That reminds me, any requests for tomorrow's dinner Norry?" He asked warmly as he headed back to rescue the silverware that had been lurking at the bottom of the now drained sink.

"I, erm...no. I eat pretty much anything," she said. She watched, trying to ignore the Great Dane sprawled on the floor in the kitchen. He was behaving, so that was something, she supposed.

Shaggy smiled at the comment about her eating anything, but didn't say a word to broach that subject, old ghosts. For once the kind he was alright with—but nevertheless, still ghosts he'd avoid. She'd talk to him when he was ready. Norry sure sounded and looked sorry enough, there was no need to rub salt in the wound. She was a good kid.

"You sure?" Shaggy pressed in such a casual way it hardly seemed pressing at all. How did he do that?

"I dunno. If you don't mind, we can eat at your restaurant?" She suggested lamely.

"Oh—uh, we kinda can't eat at the restaurant right now, I'm sorry Norry. The whole joints been closed down for a bit for asbestos." He was gonna be straight with her, but she was a kid and this was her summer, and she didn't need to spend it worrying or nothing.

"Oh...wait, since when? What does that mean for your job?" It was automatic, the way Nora started to think about what hours she could squeeze in at the barn and asking if she could work more. There had been times when she helped her mother with some bills, sliding a few bucks here and there into her purse when she could. She figured out Sugie's passwords and accounts online and sometimes paid small portions of bills when she could. She couldn't do much but it was nice to know she could help in small ways. The barn paid her little, but it was under-the-table and it was still _something_.

"Like it means until October I just haveta pick up another job. I knew I was gonna be off for about two weeks—so I've got plenty of time to start sniffing around, right Scoob?"

"Right!" said Scooby as he scratched at his shoulder.

As goofy as he was, he eyed her lovingly but firmly and put his hands on his hips. "And don't you worry about a thing, Norry, okay? This is your summer—you should have fun!"

"I-" Nora mentally knocked herself down to a piece of peach cobbler, no end-crusts and water instead of milk. "—okay," she said with a tight smile.

"Good." said her Uncle with a satisfied nod and a grin of his own. He finished dropping utensils into the dryer and wiped his hands on a towel.

Nora bit her lip. While he had his back turned, Nora darted forward and wrapped her arms around her Uncle tightly. He blinked, arms held out uselessly as they held a plate that had been ready for the cabinet, but there she stood, her tiny body pressed against his for a flash. She only hugged him for a second or two before letting go and dashing out of the kitchen, across the living room and up the stairs (and nearly tripping over Scooby and the hall rug in the process.)

She called a hasty, "G'night!" as she ran all the up to her room and didn't stop for him to respond.

In an instant, she was gone.

Shaggy stood there stunned for several moments this time, blinking out over the front lawn through the little kitchen window.

By the time he had regained his senses, he heard the little attic door slip shut with a soft clang up on the second floor.

"Huh." He said, leaning out the kitchen door to smile warmly down at Scooby, who wagged his tail hopefully, starting to get the picture himself.

"Well whaddya know."

Nora let out a squeak as she sat, curled up in her borrowed bed in the attic. Her face was pressed into the little dog stuffy that she was currently holding onto tightly. _That was so lame!_ She chided herself, _That's the kind of stupid, cheesy stuff that's from after-school specials re-runs from the nineties!_ Nora flushed red from her embarrassment. She wanted to kick herself but she wasn't that great at being physically affectionate with people that weren't her mother. Still, _I think he needed it...and maybe me, too_...

Once she finally finished getting worked up about hugging her Uncle, she flopped back on her bed, toy still held close. She looked over at the clock on her nightstand. It wasn't terribly late. And she really wanted a piece of peach cobbler. But no way was she going to go back downstairs and confront her Uncle. He might want a real hug this time. Nora might have understood where she was wrong at dinner but that didn't mean she wanted her Uncle thinking she was up for a hug-fest.

"I guess I can kill time putting away my clothes," she muttered to herself. After seeing the state of the rest of the house, Nora was prepared to use the shirt she was currently wearing as a dust rag. That's when she first realized that all the surfaces in her attic room were clear of dust and dirt.

"He...cleaned up here. Everything. There isn't even any dust," she observed, running fingertips over the smooth, clean wood of the dresser. It was unexpected but no less appreciated.

And hauled her duffle bag onto her bed and unzipped it to begin.

* * *

It was just after midnight when Nora tip-toed her way downstairs yet again that night. Crickets were chirping, making hopeful passes in the night that punctured the soft night sky outside. A cool breeze entered the hallway and the old kitchen. Her Uncle was snoring away when she passed his room, the door open a crack. Noting that she could also hear Scooby snoring, she closed the door leading into Shaggy's room as silently as she could manage. If Scooby came up to her in the dark, she would not be able to stop the scream, or the throwing of any plates and/or furniture.

Her mother and her lived in a track—it was no city life, but it was much less rural than the old homestead that leaned lazily on Shaggy's property. Nora had forgotten what it was like here, especially at night. To her skittish Uncle and his cowardly mutt, maybe nighttime bothered them. but not her, and certainly not here. Not that she'd ever admit that openly. But she had forgotten how charming the cozy kitchen was when only the light above the stove was on. The room was bathed in a warm amber and the room was easy to navigate. Especially with the moon so close to being full outside, peeking shyly through the window to cast four boxes of light that spread over the table and the old linoleum. Nora was glad her Uncle didn't enforce socks—Boyfriend #4 had tried to do it once, and after she faked a fall down the wooden stairs of her house, her mom had put an end to that real fast. Uninhibited by slippery fabric on even slippier floors, her rendezvous to the kitchen went entirely smoothly, and for that she was grateful.

Upon entering the kitchen, Nora could see the dessert was still on the table by virtue of the light over the stove. She also realized that there was another dish. A plate was on the table with a rather large piece of the cobbler and a note. Bringing it to the light from a better look, she found, in Shaggy's writing,

 _For the girl who eats everything-just like me!_ '

Complete with a crudely little drawn heart. Nora groaned, folding the paper up and slipping it into her pocket. When she went to pour some water, hoping to avoid the noise of the tap, she discovered a tall glass of milk, complete with swirly straw. It was too full to be considered a left over, and it was most certainly for her. Taking her more than modest meal up to her room, Nora ate every bit of her peach cobbler.

And she enjoyed her slice of humble pie, too.

* * *

 **Honey:** _ **She heaved a sigh and wiped her eye….**_ **lots of love and tears has gone into this already. Mostly tears. And some laughter. And angry wine drinking.**

 **Charlie: The odd thing about this story is, is that we've written a good chunk of what happens around, oh, say chapter 4 or 5 or so. Which is great for chapters 4 and 5. Not so great for the other 3 that come before it, who were beginning to feel left out. Now we got that ball rolling! Feedback is never required, but always appreciated.**


	2. Stay Calm

**See the end for author's notes.**

 **Chapter 2: Stay Calm**

Nora woke when she heard bird song outside. She whined softly, having been taken out of a dreamless sleep. Her eyes were barely open as a thought in the back of her mind told her that light was shining into her bedroom at an odd angle. With a jolt, she sat up and whipped her head from side-to-side in a panic. It wasn't long before she remembered, _Oh, right...I'm in Uncle Shaggy's attic._

Her sigh of relief was more a yawn than anything. Nora indulged in a long, lazy stretch to crack her back and elbows before relaxing back into her pillows. She rolled over and turned the clock on the bedside table to see that it was 8:23 a.m. She whined morosely, mourning all the sleep she _could_ be getting rather than be awake. She considered closing her eyes once more for another hour (or three) when she noticed the plate, fork and glass also on the bedside table.

 _I never took those back to the kitchen last night_ , she thought. Nora wasn't much for leaving her dishes about but since boyfriend #7 was such a stickler for immediately washing dishes after use—to the point that he would talk down to Sugie and treat her like a child in front of her own kid—Nora would go out of her way to leave her dishes everywhere out of spite. _I really need to kick this habit now that rule left with him,_ she thought.

Nora looked back at the clock and resisted the urge to snuggle back into her pillows. _It would be less embarrassing if I took these downstairs_ _before_ _Uncle Shaggy got up._ She sighed, silently wishing that she would be able to get back to sleep as soon as she returned to bed. However, when she opened the door that separated the end of the attic stairs and the second floor, the strong aroma of breakfast hit her. Nora blinked sleepily. She inhaled and followed her nose to the kitchen, much as she had the night before.

There was her Uncle, standing at the stove cheerfully sending some flapjacks into outer space before they landed back on the grill. They sizzled softly, while a pair of steaming hot ones lay on a plate.

Scooby-Doo was reading the paper.

No, that couldn't be right—he was _looking_ at the paper—studiously, almost as if he was _trying_ too. There was no way the dog was reading the paper instead of fetching it. Even that was hardly believable, that mutt wasn't really the poster dog for the Canine Good Citizenship Award, was he? But then he noticed she was in the room and the moment was gone.

"Rora!" His ears perked up, his tail banged against the chair as he got up and pushed off the table. He fell into a little prance, heading her way as Shaggy turned with a grin to greet her.

Nora's sharp intake of breath sounds like a hiss as she presses herself into the threshold of the kitchen. However, her sudden movements cause her to nearly drop the glass that had been balancing on her plate. "Oh no!" In a panic, she yelped and grabbed the glass in one smooth-ish motion.

Scooby was fast for a big dog, or maybe he was fast because he was big. Either way, he was there by the time she startled like that. He jumped too, wondering where the monster was, but stuck his nose under the other end of her plate anyway, steadying both plate and her little hand. Scooby's tail wagged a little, glancing up at her hopefully, his muzzle half hidden by the plate he supporting.

"Like, good save Norry-you okay?" That little jump wasn't really like her. Getting scared was more his and Scooby's area of expertise.

Nora felt her heart hammering in her chest as she felt Scooby's wet nose on her knuckles. She looked a little more than frazzled as she turned her gaze to Shaggy and hummed a tense little, "Mhm." Looking back at Scooby she asked her Uncle, "Help? Before I drop something?"

Shaggy was about to turn and come over, but a quick glance at the griddle showed some pancakes in serious danger of burning if he didn't remove them pronto. So, to Nora's growing horror, Shaggy said,

"Scooby, like, don't just stand there. Give her a paw!"

"R'okay Raggy!" It was like a switch had been hit. The dog's nose shoved, and the plate and its contents went up-and then down.

Scooby-Doo caught the plate, waited, then got the glass right side up in the middle of it. The fork _plinked_ in a second later, and the dog made a satisfied noise, muffled since he was holding the plate with one side of his maw.

He turned and walked the stuff over to the sink, snuffling happily at the fruity remains of the peach cobbler.

It all happened so fast that Nora could only blink after him. _Wha...what just happened here?_

She shook her head and muttered a quick, "Thanks," before excusing herself to the little half-bathroom nearby to wash her hands. Upon returning, Nora tried her greeting once more, "Um, good morning?"

"Like, morning kiddo. Hope yer hungry, it's pancake-day at Casa De Shaggy!" He ushered her into a seat as Scooby shoved the chair out for her with his shoulder.

The newest pancakes were sitting in a spot, covered in syrup that formed a smiley face, with a buttery nose that was melting fast.

"You want any juice? Milk or water or something?" Her Uncle asked as he wandered back to the griddle to check on the latest batch.

"Um, do you have orange juice?" All the attention was more than a little overwhelming. Not that she would reject food any day but still, "Or cranberry if you don't have that?"

Nora swallowed any protests she had when Scooby sat across from her at the table once more. She was still feeling hurt about Sugie's departure but perhaps now wasn't the time to bring it up again. She tried concentrating on the melting smile of the pancake instead. Belatedly she said, "Please and thank you."

Shaggy's smile widened at her little statement at the end. He remembered the little kid with a gap in her two front teeth, sitting on a phone book and trying to hold on to Scooby and a mixing spoon covered in cookie dough all at the same time-while saying loudly 'please and thanks you' in hopes for a warm cookie.

He got her a big glass of orange juice, and set it down on the table next to her.  
"Dig in, Norry, before they get cold." He informed easily, "Yours are coming up, Scoobo."

Nora nodded and began to eat her breakfast quietly as Shaggy went about whistling as he cooked. The pancakes were just as fluffy and light as she remembered when she bit into a sweet surprised. Nora lifted her pancake with her fork to peek underneath and found that she indeed had blueberry pancakes. She swallowed, and before she could stop herself, she smiled. Blueberry pancakes were probably her favorite kind.

It wasn't long before both beatnik and dog's plate were piled with about seven pancakes each, and they were a mess with syrup and butter. Aside from that, there were still half a dozen pancakes sitting on the serving plate waiting to be eaten.

"So what's yer plan for today, kiddo? Ya got all summer to do some cool stuff, don't forget."

Nora shrugged in response and was planning on leaving it at that but a little annoying voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she poor attitude last night wasn't the best option. She shrugged again and cleared her throat before using her fork to spear a few more pancakes to eat. "I didn't really think about it. But, don't you need to job hunt? I mean, I guess I could help with that?" Truthfully, she wanted to sleep, but she wasn't half-bad at job searching with all the help she was used to giving Sugie.

"Sure, like, _I_ need to. If you want to give us a hand, that'd be great-but there's way more fun stuff you could do if you wanted, Norry." Shaggy said before he took a long gulp of water.

"Hey like-there's the park, the bowling alley, the playground..." He suggested, hoping to be helpful.

Nora just shrugged again as she added a overly-generous amount of syrup to her pancakes. "I'll figure something out." She took a few bites of her second helping of breakfast before speaking again, "Can I ask for something?"

"Course." Shaggy nodded, and swallowed his food. "Like, what'dya need?" He pointedly shooed Scooby's wandering fork away, a playful glint in his eye as he shot a look at his best friend. Scooby grinned wolfishly right back, his halo sliding into place. On the next attempt, Shaggy let Scooby swipe a pancake, but he took some of Scooby's grapefruit in retaliation.

"Do you have a fan or something I could keep up in the attic for the season?" Nora emphasized her point but fanning herself with her free hand. "It got uncomfortably warm up there last night and summer has only just begun. I don't think it'll be bearable much longer if it's going to get as hot as they say it will this summer." Nora, kind of unsubtly, pulled her plate closer to her, which meant further away from Scooby. Welp, at least she hadn't found any dog fur in her meals yet.

Her words made Shaggy pause, and his eyes widened in realization and a touch of horror and worry.

"Like-jinkies! I forgot how hot it gets up there-you sure can kiddo, I'm sorry! There's a big box fan down in the basement-it's all yours. You can keep it on long as you need, okay? Oh and like, check for an extension cord down there too-I'm not sure you've got an outlet close enough to the bed that isn't filled by the lamp and yanno, the alarm clock."

Nora's eyebrows were hidden under her messy bangs as they found new heights _. Why in the world does he care so much? What, is he trying to make up for things or-?_ Nora raised her hands in an attempt to ease her Uncle's sudden worry. "I got it! Thanks. I'll go looking for those after breakfast is over," she answered. She picked up her juice and sipped it thinking, _Really now. Forgetting to bring up an old boxfan isn't exactly the worst thing you could do. Or have done._

Shaggy was oblivious to her thoughts, and he didn't notice her expression because he was protecting his last piece of pancake.

By the time the breakfast war was over, Shaggy had to head out to fill the van with gas before he even attempted searching for a fill-in position. He noticed Scooby, who had finished already anyway and wasn't doing anything much important. He gave Scooby the job to wash the dishes. Scooby-Doo, sitting on the mat in front of the fridge and scratching behind his ear, had one eyes knit shut from the effort as he said,

"R'i will!" in a cheerful-not-quite-doggy like noise.

Shaggy ruffled the spot between the dog's ears in response, thanking him before he turned to his baby niece.

Before she could stop herself, Nora's first thought blurted out with, "You're not taking him with you?" It wasn't that she thought it was at all normal or professional to take one's dog with them to their potential interviews or places of work, it was just the Shaggy seldom went anywhere without his canine companion. And Nora hoped she wouldn't be left home alone with him.

"Hm? Nah, not unless I can snag another interview for a customs-dog. But like, me getting _that_ job back is about as slim as getting back into racing again, right Scoob?" He laughed as he pulled on his jacket, and Scooby did too.

"There's gotta be easier, safer and more food related jobs I can sniff out."

Nora bites back a whine as she wishes Shaggy the best of luck in finding a new job. Once he's gone, she thinks about locking herself upstairs and trying to sleep the remainder of morning and the afternoon away. And if it weren't for the warmth of the day that was already starting to increase, she probably would have done so.

 _I just need that darned fan and cord_. Nora fought the urge to tip-toe across the old linoleum of the kitchen. Scooby had his back to her as he washed dishes—really?—and made her way towards the basement door.

The basement door creaked open, showing a straight shot down into the bowels of the old house. It was an open, semi-finished basement and the wood steps were surprisingly quiet compared to the racket the stairs up to the second floor made. Which meant these stairs were used less-or Shaggy used the stairs that went up into the yard on the side of the house more often-which was reasonable. They were huge after all, and allowed for more maneuvering than the ones Nora was heading down.

If she thought the guest bedroom was cluttered, then the basement took the hoarder's cake and ate it, too.

From the light that filtered through the dirty little windows, Nora could see the dust floating in lazily in the air. She scrunched her nose. The only thing she hated more than dust was actually dusting.

She flipped the light switch to better light up her way. _Yeah, just what I need. To be left home alone with a Great Dane who I can't run away from on behalf of my broken leg._ The old, yellow light caused a lot of shadows to be cast from all the junk but that didn't stop the fourteen year old. She wasn't afraid of the dark.

Once down the stairs, she stepped carefully around boxes and old junk. _Jeez!_ _What even is all this, Uncle Shaggy?_ Nora wondered. It was then that she heard the drawn out whining _eeek_ of the wooden basement door and she turned at the sound of it. Another shadow was being cast from the light upstairs; a Scooby Doo shaped shadow, to be precise.

Nora swallowed. She considered just being quiet and maybe he would walk away if he couldn't see her but she remembered how keen his nose was. At his first step down the stairs she yelped, "Yes, stop looking! I'm here!"

"Rind the ran?" He asked politely, putting another paw down the step. He looked around eagerly, hoping to spot it from an aerial view. This was easier said than done, so he lifted another paw to descend some more steps.

"N-no, but I can manage," she said weakly. She began looking frantically from side-to-side, hoping to find it, as well as any reason for Scooby to stop coming down the rest of the steps. "Hey-what about the dishes? Your paws are getting dusty on these steps a-and, you'll get the plates and silverware dirty!" Nora was grasping at straws.

He blinked, ears perking. A quick look down at his paws made her right, and his tail swished quietly.  
"Ruh-oh!" If she needed help, he assumed she'd call him-Scooby-Doo, where are youuu?-so the Great Dane turned in the small space and trotted back upstairs.

Nora found herself left alone in the basement once more. She began searching the room which left her face-to-face with a massive trophy that had a skull on it.  
 _The Award of Physical..._  
 _goes to_  
 _The Grim... S..ool Girls_  
said the dust covered trophy, its shine long gone from where it sat on the shelf.

 _Why would he have a...?_ Nora lifted up the corner of her over-sized shirt and began dusting the trinket. She hated dusting but sometimes curiosity was a stronger force. She blew the last bit of dust away and held the trophy up to the light, coughing just a touch. She squinted and read aloud, "Why in the world does he have a trophy for 'Miss Grimwood's Finishing School for Girls'?"

She received no answers in the basement. The box that the large award had come from was filled with some smaller ones. Those were even filthier, it was like only the one Nora was holding received any attention at all. These awards were for track and one that looked suspiciously like gymnastics.

Nora put the trophy carefully back where she found it, patting her hands on her shirt. Her Uncle sure did keep some weird crap. _Like this_ , she thought, bending over and found a box labeled, 'Lester's,' in black marker. Inside were old painting of what looked like UFOs. Nora shook her head. "Need to find this thing before-" she yelped as she tripped and fell to the ground.  
"Ooooow," she angrily moaned, rubbing her scrapped elbow. Nora looked up to find that what she caught her foot on. It was an old-looking chest. The pile of old blankets covering it slipped to the floor and Nora was intrigued. She leaned forward and squinted once more to read in the poor lighting. "The Chest of...Demons?"

From under the blanket half a face was visible. A red eye set into a gargoyle's grinning face gleamed too brightly in the dim light. It was spooky enough she wasn't sure she cared to see the other eye. For some reason, the box was warm, too. Warmer than it should have been in this dank, cool basement.

Nora found that she felt just a little unnerved by the chest but she tried to shrugged it off. "Pffft, right," she faked her own confidence, "just some lousy light-up Halloween decoration with batteries that haven't died yet...eight months later..." Nora's laugh came out as a nervous chuckle. To prove to herself that there was nothing to be scared of, she took it upon herself to check and see that there was nothing to be frightened of. _Like how when Uncle Shaggy wasn't around to check for monsters under my bed so I did it myself..._ Her mood went from nervous to sour quickly as she reached out to open the chest. However, she hadn't even touched the lid when she realized too late the sound of a large dog barreling down the stairs with his howl of, "Rora ro!"

He took the turn around the stairs poorly, and ended up sliding the rest of the way. With an almighty crash, Scooby hip-checked her into an old mattress and he collided with that chest dead-on.  
He took one look at the front, its gaze seemed to get sharper as it registered one of its Openers, and with several loud aypes Scooby shoved off it, covered it in every blanket he could find and set three boxes and a lamp on it.

Nora landed with an "OOF!" and bounced as the old spring creaked under her weight. Nora rolled over until she was on her hands and knees and facing the Great Dane, who was currently redecorating.

"Scooby!" She snapped

The dog blanched at her tone and sank down to all fours, watching her. His tail tried wagging as he lowered his head and trotted over to her. "Rorry." And he sounded like he meant it at least. He reached out to nose her shoulder.

Nora flinched when his cold nose touched. "It's fine!" When he sank further, she gave an exasperated sigh. "It's fine," she repeated in a calmer tone. "I'm not hurt, but geez! It's just an old trunk."

Scooby-Doo whimpered at her words, and shook himself all over as if something unpleasant crawled up his spine. He obviously disagreed with her, but didn't go into details and instead started sniffing around, searching for that old fan. He redecorating had unearthed a box of magnets and an old video game.

Nora stood up, feeling grimy. Landing on the mattress had kicked up a lot of dust and dirt. "I'm going to need a shower...I'm never getting back to sleep before noon at least," she sighed. She watched the canine carefully. Even when she couldn't see his big body, his tail usually gave away his position from between boxes and all the other stuff Shaggy kept around, like an old tiki-looking mask. And a tiny blue collar. "Scrappy?" She read on the little tag

Scooby's tail wagged when she held it up.

"Raby collar." He supplied happily as he moved around a giant wax figure of himself that Shaggy had kept after that one case. Let's see...where _was_ that fan?

"...,right," she answered, ignoring the weird statue and tossed the collar onto the mattress. She looked back and-AHA! "There!" She pointed excitedly. The fan was just behind the stairs, she could see it through the space between the steps. Nora quickly, and carefully, weaved between boxes and old furniture to the fan. "Oh, great! The cord's here, too!" She really wanted to be clean and cool and away from this dog.

Scooby spotted the fan just after she did and trotted over to help her maneuver it out. It came up to her hip after all, and he knew it wasn't the lightest of models.

Nora's thin arms would be shaking by the time she got to the attic but she was pretty sure she could manage. That was, until she saw her Uncle's dog running in and out of the shadows toward her and she nearly dropped the big, metal machine on her bare toes. She jumped back, fortunately short enough that her head missed the wooden stairs. Unfortunately, that meant the dog had her cornered under the stairs.

Scooby jumped at the loud noise the fan made, but shook it off. He took a moment to nose a rolled up carpet out of the way, knowing Shaggy didn't like it lying around where it could just...take off on its own. It had done that once and once was enough!

"Rou okay?" Scooby asked in mild concern as he grabbed the fan's handle in his maw and began dragging it out of her way.

"Yes," she answered, obviously tense. She let Scooby take the fan for her. Instead, she picked up the forgotten cord and followed Scooby up the stairs, far behind. Once upstairs, she sighed, seeing just how much dust there was to clean off the fan, let alone herself. "This is going to take forever," she whined. She would have to take it apart to clean off the blades and everything!"

"Rhat's wrong?" The dog grunted gently as he sat by the fan, itching a cobweb off his shoulder with a hind leg. "Rusty?" He wondered, sticking his nose close to it and sneezing from the dust that greeted his sensitive nostrils.

"It needs cleaning or else it'll just be blowing dust in my face," she answered tiredly. "And I need a screw driver to open it up." She must have been tired to be holding a conversation with the dog.

"Rarden hose!" said Scooby plainly as he stood up and stretched happily. His next move was to turn off the basement light and close the door. He was never crazy about going down there, something both he and Shaggy had in common. He wandered back over to the wilting Nora and sat on his rump beside her.

"A—It's metal. It _will_ rust a lot sooner if I do that. B—Won't water ruin in?" Nora didn't particularly care for the fact that when sitting, Scooby was almost at eye level with her.

"Rair dry!" Was Scooby's answer as he looked outside to the hot, hot sun shiny day. That thing would be ready to go in a few hours tops if left outside to dry.

Nora sighed. "It already looks older than dirt, how much worse can it get?" She cracked her back before picking up the old device and lugging it to the back door. "Get the door?" She asked, trying not to sound unkind as she did so.

Scooby's ears perked up. "R'okay!" He called, trotting for the door to do as she asked.

Nora shuffled awkwardly (and quickly) out the door passed Scooby and set the fan down more loudly than she meant. She wiped her brow as she turned and found the old garden hose attached to the house.

"Huh..." The old sprinkler she used to jumped through and play with was still attached to the end of the hose. Nora removed it and turned the old spicket on.

Scooby had wandered out behind her, pausing only to get a drink from his bowl of water that was by the stove. Now he sat by the side door, head cocking curiously as he watched Nora set to work on cleaning the fan.

Nora sprayed down the fan, trying to get all the nooks and crannies so as not to miss any part of it. Though she wasn't looking at him, Nora could feel Scooby's eyes on her; his big, brown eyes that were so focused it was borderline unnerving to her. She remembered there was a time she used to have staring contests with those eyes...

Nora stole a glance, then a quick second. He had also gotten covered in his share of dirt and dust while in the basement. Then, a terribly devilish plan took hold and Nora barely succeeded in suppressing her smile.

"Hey Scooooby, what's that behind you?" She called.

Some could call it playfulness, some might call it a nasty little trick, but as soon as the Great Dane turned to follow were she pointed, she hosed him with the chilly water of the garden hose.

Scooby-Doo yelped like he'd been set on fire, his massive body leaping onto all four paws while he staggered under the cool spray and became thoroughly soaked. His cry turned into a bought of laughter, though, as he turned and tried holding up a paw. Hmm, but this nice water would hit the spot for his itchy, dust covered shoulder! So he turned, eyes closing in delight and letting a content "Raah..." as he took an imaginary loofa from nowhere and began scrubbing his fur, humming a jaunty tune.

Nora barely stifled a laugh at his yelp but was surprised to see him _enjoying_ her mean little prank. Still. _Eh, better than having to be the one to bathe him up close and in a tub...if he would even fit._ So, she adjusted her grip on the hose and placed her thumb just so over the opening of the metal nozzle and she sprayed down Scooby's shoulders and back.

The Great Dane wiggled happily, making the strong stream get those hard to reach spots Shaggy normally scratched for him. After a moment he decided he had enough, because the usually clumsy dog twisted back down onto all fours-and his hind paw came down with all his weight on the hose. He swung his head over his shoulder and _grinned_.

The water sputtered, died, and Scooby's look was suddenly just as playful as Nora's had been.

"Rora's rusty too." She didn't even have to think about his sentence to know he meant 'dust' and not 'rust.'

His weight was too much and too sudden for the unprepared Nora. Her eyes went wide at the dog's words. Oh, she knew she had this coming but that didn't mean she wanted it to come! That water was chilly!

"Scooby Doo, no-no-no," she said, already backing away.

Scooby's grinned deepened as he adjusted his stance-legs spread and head down. And all one hundred and eight pounds of the soaking wet dog shook-and shook hard. Water went flying everywhere.

"Ack!" Nora's thin arms raised to shield her round face but to no avail. She turned away from the mini-shower Scooby Doo had sent her way, quite effectively soaking her. She whined, "Now I'm smell like wet dog," she shook out her hands and arms in disgust, "great, now all my dreams have come true."

"Ree too." Scooby sympathized pleasantly, halting in his shaking and sitting down to shimmy the last of the heavy water off him.

"Rake a shower?" He suggested helpfully as he considered the cool breeze blowing every once in a while.

"I'm going to have to." she replied, though not unpleasantly. Nora made her way to the spicket and turned off the water, deciding that putting away the hose could wait for later. She turned toward the side door to enter the house, not having to look to know that Scooby wasn't far behind. Then, without thinking, she turned and told him, "Wait, don't go in yet—I'll, I'll get you a towel," She muttered as her mind brought up a memory in which her and Scooby had slipped and gotten hurt after running inside while still soaking wet. One of their poor misadventures, if she recalled. She had gotten a bruise on her shoulder but Scooby had gotten a little more banged up, having made the table topple onto him, instead of her.

Scooby halted obediently—he only skidded a little, and he backed up a pace to keep his wet paws off the kitchen floor. Standing on the rug outside Shaggy's back door, Scooby waited patiently for Nora to return, his tail wagging.

Nora padded her way upstairs to the full bathroom and dug around in the linen closet. _Wonder how long these have been sitting in here_ , she wondered absently, taking out a couple towels for herself and one that was far larger on for Scooby. She placed her towels on the sink counter and walked back down stairs, reassuring herself, _I don't care, but I'm not getting in trouble if he ruins a piece of furniture or something._

Nora was surprised to find Scooby still waiting for her, quite patiently, just outside the door. She dropped the larger, blue towel over his head. "Close the door when you come in," she instructed, having already turned on her heel and headed for the bathroom.

"Ri know." said Scooby cheerfully as he edged in, getting cozy and warm in the big comfy towel. His tail took hold of the knob, and solved the door-closing problem for them. Realizing Nora was headed to take a shower like he suggested, Scooby felt his spirits lift as he finished drying himself off. He dropped the towel off in the basket that was sitting outside the laundry room, and then to the bathroom, finding the door closed. Not that he blamed her. But he didn't feel like taking a nap, so lying in front of it was out of the question.

Scooby's tail flicked absentmindedly, and he let his nose lead him around the house, taking him to the attic.

* * *

Nora hummed, singing bits and piece of lyrics to mismatching melodies as she scrubbed herself of all dirt, dust, sweat, and dog fur. She thought she might have heard the clicking of nails going down the hall, then again her hair needed most of her focus, having gotten as long as it has. She spent a good quarter of an hour washing and combing her hair alone. After all but using up the hot water, Nora turned off the shower and began the tedious task of wringing out her hair and wrapping it in a towel.

After wrapping the rest of herself in the other towel, she opened the door, being careful to look for Scooby and not trip over him as she recalled that he liked to sleep outside the door when she bathed. Not seeing him, she padded her way up stairs and to the attic.

There was Scooby in the attic, his big nose snuffling over the woodwork as he half buried himself beneath the bed, sniffing harder. In his haste he had knocked over her book bag, its contents spilling out as her suitcase tipped over like some mortally wounded animal. Clothes, a gameboy, some books and her sneakers made a desperate bid for freedom as Scooby pushed further under the bed, starting to bark and growl from beneath the box spring.

Nora bristled, her shower-induced calm evaporating more quickly that the droplets of water from her skin. "Scooby!" She half-whined, half-scolded, "get out from under there! Look at all my stuff! It's _everywhere_!" Okay, everywhere was a bit of an exaggeration but things were far more scattered about than when she had last been up here.

For once, the big dog didn't leap to attention. In fact, his struggling increased, his noises becoming more frantic and bothered as he caused an even bigger ruckus.

Finally, with a little blur of brown, a wide-eyed, terrified mouse shot out from under her bed. Clearly running for its little life, the rodent scurried out of her room with Scooby hot on its heels, growling and barking to keep it moving. Despite his vocalizations, he wasn't snapping his teeth at it. The mouse took no small comfort in this, however, and was soon gone from sight.

Now, it wasn't that Nora was afraid of mice; quite the opposite actually. She thought some rodents were quite precious! But when that mouse darted out from under her bed, followed but Scooby scaring it (and her) with his vicious sounding barks and growls? Heck no! All of this was happening too quickly to fully comprehend it, and she gave a small cry in surprise. Clutching her towel, Nora jumped out of her skin, ran and leapt up onto her bed.

"Ran _stay_ out!" Scooby threatened with as much force as he could muster. He stood at the base of the attic ladder, and turned to trot proudly back up it, tail up and chest out. His tags swung as he pranced up into the attic area, waiting happily for his praise. He would have to wait a little longer.

Nora was red in the face and she glared at the poor, unsuspecting dog. "You dumb dog!" She yelled, "Look at this mess! All _that_ over a little mouse? Give me a break!" She cried, clutching her towel and stamping her little foot. She looked furious, and it was adorable.

"What was it going to hurt? Get out of this attic I swear!" She hopped down from the bed and marched in his direction and pointed angrily down. "Go! Go down to the kitchen and stay there!"

The Great Dane jumped and bolted back at her accusing finger, sinking to the ground pitifully when she raised her voice.

"R-rut..." He tried, big doe eyes gazing up at her, his tail curling between his legs. He glanced around the room and, oh. He had made a mess, hadn't he? Whimpering gently, Scooby turned and grabbed the nearest thing with his mouth. This turned out to be a library book, which he inched forward and held out for her, as a sort of peace offering.

She snatched it from him, "Don't _drool_ or get your teeth marks on this! Last thing I need is a..fine. Waitaminute..." Anger temporarily put on hold, Nora flipped open the book and checked when this book was due. "Crap," she moaned.

Scooby was busy trying to pick up the second book without his mouth—his paws were only sort of aiding him in his task. At Nora's exclamation, his ears perked and looked to her in concern.

"Rora?" He asked.

She huffed, "Well, I _was_ going to walk seven miles here last night. Why not make it fourteen today?" Nora turned her glare on Scooby, but it hardly held any heat. If anything, she just looked tired, "Shoo, I need to get dressed then walk to the library."

She said the wrong—or magic—word:

"Rwlk!? _RAWLK_!?" Scooby asked in delight.

The Great Dane leaped to attention-which meant the floor creaked ominously from his bouncing as he turned to bolt eagerly down the stairs. They could be heard squeaking in feeble protest the entire way down, a horror buff's ambient dreams sound clip.

Nora sighed at this obnoxious dog's antics. "Dumb dog," she muttered half-heartedly, closing the door and then going through her drawers for something to wear. Less than ten minutes later, having decided on an old tang top and short-styled leggings, she had returned to the bathroom and was combing out her long locks.

She heard the clicking of Scooby's nails on the hard wood floor in the hall and she called, "Go get your leash," as she began the tedious task of braiding her hair.

The noise halted.

"Rhy what?" Came an innocent, if slightly ponderous call from the massive dog as he craned his neck round the doorway.

Nora tied off her braid and reached for her tooth brush, "Your leash," she repeated. "What I need to put on you if you're really planning on leaving through the front door."

"..." After a serious moment of consideration, Scooby sat back on his rump. He drooped his ears and whined in the back of his throat.

"Rhy hate rhat rhing..." He complained quietly, tail curled around his legs.

Nora paused for a minute when she heard his pitiful noise. She paused in squeezing the tooth paste onto her toothbrush. He looked crestfallen and miserable and Nora thought that she might feel kind of bad for the pooch. Well, okay. Nevermind that weak thought. In an attempt to not let Scooby sense her weakness, she turned back to the mirror and spoke with a bit less commanding tone,

"Hey, it's only for a little bit. There _are_ consequences to not following leash laws." She informed with an arched eyebrow. "And it's not like a choke collar or anything, right?"

"A rhawt?" That answered her question. Right, considering how much Uncle Shaggy loved this giant disaster of a dog, he probably wouldn't use a choke collar.

"Ri'll get it." He moans and turns, ambling around and heading into the spare room.

Well, as much as she feared and disliked dogs, it's not like she condoned abuse for them. _Kind of glad he didn't even know what a choke collar was._ She continued to brush her teeth, gurgle and rinse and spit all by the time that Scooby came shuffling back to her.

Nora wiped her chin, "Oh, buck up wouldja? I'm not doing this to hurt you," she sighed, holding out her hand, palm up, for the leash.

He gave her a mildly corrective look, one she thought she'd seen in her mom's eyes. But that was impossible.

The tangled up leash and the large bundle of cloth was dropped obediently into her hand.  
For some reason, it smelled like cheese.

Nora wrinkled her nose as she unfolded the smelly, bright red cloth. "'Customs'?" she read aloud.

Oh yeah, her mother did say something about her uncle holding a temporary security job at some point awhile back, before his current job at the restaurant of course. Nora was not surprised to hear that they were fired. _Scooby is no working dog. Never mind a job as hard as customs. He's too...Scooby._

Nora draped the red article over the side of the tube and turned back to Scooby as she untangled the leash. Finding success, she hooked the strap of leather onto his collar, "There. Not so bad, is it?"

"Rhy guess rot." The dog grumbled, then promptly stood there and waited hopefully for her to hand the leash over. What? It counted if he was walking himself!

Nora slipped her hand through the loop of the leash and cocked an eyebrow at the dog. "Yeah. Right."

Hey, couldn't blame a pooch for trying.

His ears sank...but he lowered his head and trotted at her hip anyway, tail swinging nonetheless.  
"Ron't forget rour rook."

Nora took a half step away from Scooby before reaching for the book she very nearly left on the counter. "Just need my backpack and few water bottles and a bowl and I'm set," she listed out loud, more to herself than to him.

She scooped up her backpack that was slumped against the wall just outside the bathroom where she left it and headed to the kitchen to collect the waters and bowl.

Scooby waited by her side, content for the most part to amble at her hip, since she hadn't put down the leash once. He paused only a second, itching at his shoulder happily as he waited for Nora to be ready for The Walk.

Nora zipped up her bag but spared Scooby a glance. "I feel like you've been scratching a lot. Do you have flees or something?"

"Ri don't rink so." He said mildly. "Rit's rummer. Rosquito rites— _blhreah_!" He made an annoyed face, and pushed himself onto all fours.

"Ready Rora?!"

He had a point, as well as short fur.

"Don't you pull or run off with me-I'll sooner let you run before I let you drag me down the concrete," she warned him as she double checked that she grabbed the spare key before opening the front door.

"Ri won't!" Scooby promised happily. And as eager as he was, he kept to his word and the leash wasn't pulled on her wrist once. Scooby gazed around happily, tongue lolling between his teeth and starting to pant.

Boy, this was a great day! The sun was shining, there was a cool breeze in the air, and he was walking with his little niece. Such were Scooby-Doo's thoughts.

 _Boy was this day going to be long._ Nora thought, trying to ignore the chip on her shoulder.

Nora used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. Four miles really didn't sound like a lot but when the breeze died down some and the sun was shining relentlessly on your back? Not to mention, with what little shade to hide under, well, she honestly considered turning around and paying the late fee. She huffed, fanning herself with her hand as she adjusted her backpack, which was digging into her shoulder blade. It was uncomfortable with her sweat.

She tried to make some room between her and Scooby for the umpteenth time as she sighed, "We've gotta be, what, a mile at most from it?" The hotter she got the slower her pace was getting and she fought a whimper. What she wouldn't give for that old fan right now!

"Ruh..." He paused, looking around, but by his expression it was clear he already knew the answer.

"Ro." He admitted with a sheepish tail wag, slowing his pace to match hers. Her legs were so much shorter than Shaggy's!

Nora groaned. She hadn't been at the stable in this much heat since the end of last summer. She would have to work up tolerance to it again. "Okay, let's take a break." She made her way to the feeble shade of a small bush and sat in the dirt. She dug in her backpack and took out a bottle of water and the pink plastic bowl. She filled the bowl about half way and then drank the other half of the bottle herself.

Scooby took two long droughts, but no more.

"Rou can have the rest." He offered cheerfully, resting back on his rump and sniffing around in the grass as much as the leash would allow.

"Uh, thanks, but _no_ thanks," she replied with a look of disgust that could make Lucy proud.

"Ruit rourself." The big dog shrugged, flopping happily down into the cool grass and rolling a bit, in pure doggy bliss.

Nora rolled her eyes, draining the last bit of the bottle and sat back with sigh. She didn't mind the rest and she wasn't about to get the blame for her letting her uncle's dumb dog getting heat stroke. _It's not that I'm enjoying being here with him; it's that I can't relax. And I haven't returned the library book yet. And I'm going to be really concerned about my sanity if that bugs me more than my safety._ She covered a yawn when a familiar sound caught her attention. She looked up to see the bus turning the corner and making its slow pace in their direction. "That could have been a nice alternative."

Scooby lifted his head to track what she was looking at.

"Rou wanna take the rus?" He asked politely, starting to get to his giant paws. He gave himself a quick shake, grass and leaf litter flying everywhere before he started heading for the sidewalk.

"We can't—wait!" She grabbed the bowl, pouring out the water, and her backpack.

"What did I say about pulling?" She asked, though he wasn't really pulling _that_ bad. "We can't take the bus, Scooby Doo."

"Rure we ran!" Scooby said, before giving several booming barks in the direction of the blue travel bus. Nora had to lower her shoulders after the noise. Right. Big dog. Big lungs.

"Rit goes right ry the ribairy." He explained as, miraculously, the bus began to slow down. The driver was waving.

His continued barking made her fight the urge to jump again and make a complete fool of herself. "Scooby!" She snapped, pulling back on his leash. She looked up to see the driver waving, to which Nora looked left, right and behind herself. There was no one else in sight that the bus driver could be waving to. She watched in amazement as the bus pulled over. When the door opened, she gave the leash another tug as Scooby stepped forward toward the vehicle.

He was big though, and while he didn't exactly pull she certainly wasn't about to win any tug of war battles against Scooby-Doo anytime soon.

"Why hello Scooby!" said a portly, middle-aged man sitting in the driver seat.

"Rello!" said Scooby brightly, tail wagging.

"I haven't seen you in a few weeks. Where can I can take you today, you big fella?" As he said this he was reaching a stubby hand down his left side. A moment later a dog biscuit was tossed gently Scooby's way. The dog snapped it out of the air and was licking his lips before he answered.

"Ree need to ret to the ribairy." The dog said before Nora could think to speak.

"That's my next stop! Come on in, bus is nearly empty today anyway. Everyone got off at the pool."

Nora stood in stunned silence. When she found her voice she was already following Scooby on board. "But I—I don't have a pass or money...and he's Scooby Doo," she said in favor of the 'D' word, not wanting to get into another "Rhog? Rhere?" argument with Scooby.

"You really don't care that we're on board, sir?" She asked politely, if a bit blunt.

"Care? Hey, no—it's a pleasure anytime when this big pooch rides, isn't it boy?" The driver took a few moments to rub the dog's head—Scooby closed his eyes in lazily, that dopey smile on his face at the petting as he leaned into the man's hand.

"Haven't taken the big fella on a bus have you? Don't worry; around here a friend of Mister Shaggy's is a friend of mine. You and Scooby-Doo take a seat where ever. The library's a good ten minutes away."

"Uh, thank you, sir," Nora nodded, going to sit in the first empty seat she saw, closest to the door. She slumped in the seat, grateful for the air conditioning and letting the cool wind brush her face. Nora's eyelids were growing heavy but she shook her head. She felt the seat dip and looked incredulously at the human-like way Scooby was sitting. _One of these days I might get used to that. But I'm too tired today,_ she thought, inching closer to the window.

The bus rocked and swayed as it navigated the streets, as buses were apt to do. Even with traffic, the trip was a little under ten minutes as promised. The next thing Nora knew the bus was slowing down, and the driver was shouting their spot for them and any other passengers, few as there were.

Nora waited for Scooby to get off the seat before sliding out. Before exiting the bus she turned to the driver, "Thank you very much, mister. I appreciate your generosity," before steeping back out into the heat.

She stopped just outside the door of the library as she began to talk, "Okay, I'll be in and out pretty quick I think. Luckily, the overhang will provide you some shade," she said as she began to remove her backpack and knelled beside the bike rack. "I'll leave you water but you got to stay out here."

"Ri'm allowed rin!" Scooby protested as he followed at her hip, whining in the back of his throat gently.

Nora pointed at a sign that was bolted into the outside brick of the building. "No Dogs Allowed," she read. "Now, just wait a minute," she said, trying to tie his leash to the bike rack, "I'll just be a sec."

Scooby's ears sank, and so did the rest of him to the ground. He gave a muted whine, but since it didn't seem to matter, the dog watched her tie the leash to the rake and pour out the water for him. He laid his head on his paws and stared upward pitifully.

"I might have learned that from you but I perfected it over the years and trust me, it _doesn't_ work on me," she replied in response to his puppy eyes.

As soon as she was out of sight, he yawned and turned his head to rest it better on his paws. He shot a sleepy gaze over the town square, eyes passing over the tall black clock that stood proudly in the middle of sleepy little Coolsville.

Scooby did a double take, and went from zero to 60 in about three seconds, giving a panicked look toward the door. Without another thought, Scooby had his leash undone—because he couldn't unclip it and lose the blasted thing, he supposed—and was up and through the two sets of doors heading into the library.

"Rora!"

Nora jumped at the sound of Scooby's distinct voice and wanted to hide in the bookshelf. If she didn't think he'd sniff her out in about five seconds flat anyway. She leaned out into the aisle that she was in and spotted Scooby with a horrified look on her face, then looked to the main desk. _PLEASE don't kick me out! This is one of the only places I have that's mine!_ She mentally begged Ms. Joanna.

The woman's eyes moved without her head, rising over the frames over her glasses. And some strange happened when she caught sight of the giant dog trotting through her doors. Her forehead relaxed, the creases smoothing around her eyes, while her lips smoothed from that little purse they always seemed to be in. And her eyes brightened and she stood up straight to better see the dog.

"Scooby-Doo! You sweet boy, how have you been? We haven't gotten that DVD of Dino Mutt you and Shaggy wanted, but I'm sure it will be here next week." She chimed down at him.

"Rat's rokay! Rone moment rease." said Scooby conversationally as he headed straight for his tiny niece. "Rora, rou gotta rall Raggy."

When Nora had finally picked her jaw up from the floor, she muttered in disbelief, "You've _gotta_ be kidding me!"

"I tied you to the bike rack," she said, turning her attention pointedly away from Scooby and towards the shelves, "Go back outside, Scooby Doo," she told him.

He leaned over, taking the edge of her shirt in his teeth and tugging gently.

"Rorraaa." Stressed the big dog, whimpers leaking out from the back of his throat. It was late. Shaggy usually called around his lunch break. They hadn't left a note, just up and gone. This would scare Shaggy—this would scare anyone!

Nora's head whirled around to look at the dog as he took her shirt into his teeth. Immediately, he raised her knee into his chin. Not enough to hurt him but enough to get her point across. Her heard his lower and upper teeth _CLICK_! together. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest, the noise rushing in her ears as Scooby's actions replayed. Having been too preoccupied with his actions to have heard his words, she pointed towards the door, "Go. Out. SIDE."

Scooby reeled back as it she had outright struck him. Picking up on the fact he'd stepped over some sort of line, one he couldn't remember ever existing before, the Great Dane backed away but hesitated. His head hung low and his expression was apologetic and mildly fearful.

"Rora..."

Her heart began to settle and she processed what she had done so automatically. And, for the first time, she really felt more than just a small pang of guilt.

"Yeah, right...call Shaggy," she said absently. Nora stepped carefully around Scooby and approached the main desk. The librarian smiled at her and Nora tried to return the gesture.

"Ms. Joanna, can I borrow the landline?"

Ms. Joanna smiled and handed Nora the receiver. Dialing the old number she had memorized with much practice without thinking, Nora held the phone to her ear when she looked down that Scooby had followed her. "Wait, does he still have the same num-" she began to ask when she heard her uncle's answer on the other line.

"Rah-huh." said Scooby, who was sitting back on his hind legs so he could use his front paws to rub his muzzle and massage the ache out.

 _"Uh...like, yello?"_ Shaggy probably didn't recognize the number on that came up on his old cell phone screen. Where ever he was, his voice came with a bunch of static, making his voice echo slightly.

"H-hi, Uncle Shaggy! I'm calling from the library," she answered back, a little louder than she would have if the static weren't there. Ms. Joanna gave her a small look and motioned for her to lower her voice. "I'm at the library," she repeated, a little more quietly, "I thought I should call so you wouldn't get worried."

 _"Oh—Norry! Well gee kiddo. Great minds think alike I guess, cause I was just about to call you. At the house though-glad you got to me before, kiddo."_ He said happily. The static began to overpower the man's voice. _"I'm pulling into another—kszzt—. It's that old bzzzt—on Fore—sshtt. Like, sorry about the static Norry—don't know what's—sshht—gotten into this phone._ "

Nora cringed as the sound of the static made her cringe. "Yeah, okay Uncle Shaggy," she tried to sound cheerful, and was positive she was talking over him as well as the static. "Good luck and tell me how it goes tonight, okay?" When she was met with more static than anything that could be considered human speech, she mumbled goodbye into the harsh sounds and handed the phone back to Joanna to return to the cradle.

"Well, I guess things are alright," she mumbled, partially to herself and partially to her canine companion, whom she found currently accepting a dog treat (very carefully) from one of the part-time student workers.

"Rure they rare." Scooby agreed around his mouthful of Scooby-Snack. His tail was up and wagging, which was a good sign that he had probably forgotten her little...reaction already.  
Dogs had awful attention spans anyway, didn't they?

Nora looked back to the middle-aged librarian once more and said in a hushed-tone, "I'm really sorry for," she gestured to Scooby, "Can he stay inside though? If not, I can take him back out if you prefer..."

"Take who—why, Scooby? Oh don't send the poor thing out in this heat, Nora. What's gotten into you? Scooby-Doo's always welcome in here—aren't you, you handsome man?" Her last words were complete with the saccharine sweet tone everyone seemed to use on dogs. And Scooby didn't seem offended; he just broke into that big, dopey smile and wagged his tail harder, tongue lolling.

The small reprimand in the librarian's tone irked Nora more than it probably should be but it does. Nora smiles tightly, "Thank you, Ms. Joanna," she says before making her way back to the aisle she was in only a few moments before. She didn't call Scooby to follow because she didn't care if he did or not. Maybe he would stay up at the desk with Ms. Joanna and bask in the glory of being pet. _And stay there._ Nora thought with a angry huff.

But, hey, since when is Nora that lucky?

All too soon there's the tinkle of that collar, the only noise giving away the dog's position as he follows her. The floor was carpeted after all. He wandered after her like a puppy, letting his nose take him a few paces away from her as he put it to the ground and snuffled around some curious scent. Scooby didn't seem inclined to follow his nose any farther than a few meters though, and all too soon he was back by her side, reading the book titles.

No. _No_. Looking at the book titles—dogs couldn't read.

Nora made a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and a sigh as he followed much too closely.

Had she not had her spotted companion following her everywhere she went, Nora surely would have spent much longer at the library. _I need to leave before I start associating this place with angry feelings and this dog._ She thought to herself. Nora checked out one book, something she grabbed quick but knew she liked, _Frankenstein_ , before heading out the door and gathering up what Scooby left behind just outside the doors of the building.

Scooby wasted no time following her, keeping pace with the short girl easily. He wasn't focused on much of anything at all until they got to bus stop just outside of town, right in front of the park.

He halted mid step, and stared at the little rabbit he had made eye contact with. Scooby stared. The rabbit stared back.

When he stilled, so did Nora. She followed his line of sight and immediately, grabbed his collar, though she didn't pull on it. "Don't even," she warned.

Not taking his eyes off the bunny's, he whined in the back of his throat and agonizingly began to tear his gaze from the other animal. His expression was clear and said it all:

'Wasn't _gonna_.'

"Scooby," she said with such a tone it was more a threat than a warning. "Just because you're bigger and you can doesn't mean you should. How would you like it if that rabbit was three times your size and came after _you_ , huh?"

With only a little glance over his shoulder, the dog followed Nora into the bus stop to await their ride home.

And as for the rabbit, it vanished through the underbrush in a single hop.

* * *

The mugginess of the day that made the heat feel so heavy was easing little-by-little as the sun began to sink into the horizon. Nora had all of the windows open and was currently sitting in front of her borrowed box fan as she read from her latest acquisition from the Coolsville Public Library.

Scooby-Doo lay on the floor in front of her chair, still in the same position as he had been hours ago when he'd wandered over and flopped carelessly onto his side in front of the fan. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and even, and anyway the fan was droning on enough that he didn't hear a vehicle pull up. Or the engine turn off. Or the front door creak as it was pushed open.

"Like, I'm home!"

But he _did_ hear that, and the dog was up in a shot.

Nora jumped and dropped her book in the process. Annoyed that she would have to find her place, she set it aside and onto the coffee table. She got up, much more slowly than Scooby Doo, and greeted her Uncle, "Hi-oh! Pizza tonight?" Yup, she was definitely her Uncle's niece.

Shaggy noticed that little interested voice, and his face split into a grin.

"Uh-huh." He held the boxes high up over his head, giving Scooby-Doo a withering stare. The dog chuckled and loped into the kitchen, Shaggy following.

"You know, I didn't think I'd get so lucky. I thought like, if push came to shove, I'd have to go back to my job as a gym teacher. Thankfully, it didn't come to that."

"Uhm, well, that's good." Nora tried.

Her Uncle nodded. "I sure lucked out, right? It's not exactly outta my limited skill set, and the pays not fantastic. But Scoob and I start tomorrow, okay buddy?"

"R'okay Raggy!"

"...you're taking your dog with you into a restaurante?" _Do you know how many health code violations that must break?_ She thought. But then again, he was going to be busting his ass in a new kitchen, for much less money, it sounded, and it was only for her. So instead she said, "Yep, so lucky."

"In any case, like, this job's better than nothing." Shaggy's grin was wide as he walked into the little kitchen.

"Hence the celebratory pizza. Got it from the joint, in fact."

"Oh?" said Nora, trying to look over her shoulder as she poured a glass of soda, but he Uncle had opened the box before she could read the name on the top of the cardboard.

"Roy boy—rizza!" Came a happy bark from the giant Great Dane as he snuffled the box on the table. Nora wrinkled her nose, but Shaggy patted the dog's head absentmindedly.

"Yep." Shaggy popped the 'p.' "It's an old restaurant, but, like, I hear it's moved a couple times. Used to be one when your mom and I were kids."

"Oh, well, that's cool. So I guess that place won't be in danger of getting shut down if they've been around so long, right?" That was a big relief, in all honesty.

"With any luck. Here, Scoob." He tossed the dog a piece of pepperoni and looked at his niece, "Can you get the plates Norry?"

"Sure, Uncle Shaggy." She began hauling the biggest plates out of cabinet, and had to go back and get another when she only got two. A plate for the dog, seriously? She got he was a part of the family, or whatever, but _really_?

They all sat at the table (something that still boggled Nora's mind, that a dog could do. She wasn't sure she'd _ever_ get used to it.) And Nora spent the majority of the meal staring out the big windows on her right. The sun was setting behind a crop of pine trees in the back yard that made them nearly black, but the sky was a pretty shade of royal purples and rich oranges. The window was open a crack, letting a breeze blow softly in as a cricket chirped, though it was lazy and he didn't seem to put much heart into it. For some reason that made it nice, and Nora leaned a little bit to see if any stars were out. She imagined the moon was already hanging in the sky, and she wondered if it had gotten full yet. The milky purples were covered by deep blue by the time Nora remembered she hadn't asked where he'd gotten the new job, or even the position.

"Oh, uhm—" She covered her folly by trying to suave and taking a gulp of soda, and nearly choked. Shaggy reached over and patted her back worriedly.

"S-sorry, I'm okay." Nora grabbed a napkin and swiped at her mouth. She felt her face heat up, but was relieved when Shaggy leaned back into his seat. "So, uhm, what's the job? Are you gonna be a cook?"

"Oh, nah." Shaggy shrugged breezily and grabbed the pizza box, flipping it closed. Nora winced at the lame cover art of a vectorized image of a bear, but read the cover.

"Freddy Fazbear's pizzeria?" She read out loud in a dubious voice.

"I've like, got the job as the night guard."

* * *

 **Honey: Funny story, when Charlie and I were typing out the basement scene and making as many references as we could to Scooby and Shaggy's past (mis)adventures, I typed out the part when Nora found Scrappy's old baby collar. Which immediately was followed by the message in all caps, "HE AIN'T DEAD HE JUST GREW UP!"**

 **Charlie: Some clean up I forgot last time. All the chapter titles are based of songs. This one,** _ **Stay Calm**_ **, is by Mike Schmidt and the Fazbears. (It's also my favorite song for the FNAF fandom.) You know I debated putting this story into the crossovers right away—but decided against it for fear of giving the story away. Also, we don't actually SEE the FNAF gang until the NEXT chapter. So stay tuned—for _danger_!**


	3. Welcome to Freddy's

**See end for author's notes.**

 **Chapter 3. Welcome to Freddy's**

"Uncle Shaggy!" Nora yelled from her spot on the couch. She glanced at the clock on the cable box before focusing back on her television movie. In between handfuls of popcorn she called, "It's 11:35! You're going to be late to your first day…er, night!" She sat comfortably on the couch with her legs crossed, blanket around her shoulders, an oscillating fan blowing on her and hunkered down ready for this all-night horror movie marathon.

Shaggy stashed the candy bar he was grabbing from the fridge into his pocket.

"Like, I know kiddo!" He called back cheerfully.

Scooby was lying on the floor by the couch, head on his paws and eyes locked on Nora's snack. His eyes were big, hopeful and overall it had gotten him nothing.

"Uh…hey, kiddo?" Shaggy finally asked as he walked from the kitchen to the hallway, stopping under the threshold into the living room.

"Have you seen my hat?" He'd picked up the outfit yesterday, and had gotten a little day time look at the place. Now, it was his first night and he was ready and raring to go!

…Once he found his hat of course, the tired one with the faded 'Security' label on its deep blue front.

"Norry?" He asked when he didn't receive any answer.

"…huh?"

"Like, my hat, kiddo? Have you seen—"

"It's right _here_ , Uncle Shaggy." Nora interrupted, as she held up the hat sitting on the arm of the couch.

If the beatnik noticed the slightly exasperated tone, he didn't say anything on it.

Nora reached back to put the hat onto the back of the couch. Or, she meant to but she placed it too close to the edge of the back cushion and the hat fell to the floor with a sad plop. All this without her noticing, having reinvesting herself in the poor quality film and less on her Uncle's work uniform. Shaggy and Scooby could have already left for all the attention she was affording them.

She snorted at the poor special effects of the film as a mannequin head rolled too far to be abiding by the laws of physics.

"Uh, oh," Shaggy wandered over to the back of the couch and bent down, scooping the dropped hat. "Like, thanks!" he said anyway.

He shoved it in place cheerfully, standing up straight and sticking his thin chest out.

"Ready Scoobo?" Shaggy asked, leaning over the sofa to spot his best friend. Scooby's tail thumped, his eyes finally leaving the popcorn as he got up to follow his master to the door.

"Bye, Norry!"

"Rye, Nora!"

He got a grunt in return, which wasn't really surprising anymore.

A couple of minutes later, Nora could hear that ancient van's engine rumbling before it faded gently into the backdrop.

"Alright," She settled back into her blanket snuggly, no dumb dogs to make her keep one eye the popcorn bowl anymore. Grinning, she turned the volume up, and hit the lights off.

"Let's get this party started."

* * *

Once Shaggy and Scooby had piled into the security room and sat down, the beatnik reached for the ancient little laptop that held all the cameras.

Then he heard a noise.

It was a soft, low rumble, and for a second Shaggy wondered what on earth—

There it was again.

Blinking, the beatnik abandoned the cameras in favor of looking down at his best friend.

"Like, Scoob—was that _your_ stomach?" Though he knew the answer already. Scooby looked up at his best friend. "Reah," he answered. With a pathetic whimper he looked down and rubbed his stomach with one paw as it rumbled a third time. Shaggy's lips quirked into a sympathetic smile. He stretched a long arm out and scritched the top of Scooby's head, right between his ears where Shaggy knew he liked.

"Norry didn't give ya any popcorn, huh pal?" He went to turn the computer on, and discovered quickly this thing wasn't about to do anything quickly.

"Huh, this computer sure is old. I wonder if I could get Velma to take a look at it...hard to be security guard if I can't, yanno, _guard_ anything." He chuckled at his own joke, setting the tablet down.

"We gotta awhile before this thing boots up-" A look at his watch told him they had some time before it was midnight anyway. "Hows about we go check out the fridge, Scoob?"

Scooby's ears perked up and his tongue lolled out of his mouth at the mention of food. "Roh boy!" He was up and onto all four legs and seemed much less famished looking than he made himself out the be just a moment ago. He was at Shaggy's side and sniffing their way to the kitchen in no time at all. As they turned the corner, Scooby could hear the faint and strained ring of the old office telephone. He had more important things to focus on though. And besides, whoever it could be would probably just leave a message if it was really that important.

 _"Uh, hello? Hello hello!..."_

Shaggy, however, didn't even hear the phone ring, and merely followed his buddy out of the office.

Blissfully unaware of the missed message, Shaggy rooted around the big walk in pantry hopefully. He tried the freezer—ice cream maybe?—and eventually hit pay dirt on the oven, where an abandoned pizza lay, lukewarm and tantalizing.

"Like, bingo, Scoobo! Here, grab one of those plates and we'll go look for some drinks." Shaggy said eagerly, keeping his voice a little softer than usual. He wasn't sure why.

"This place is a restaurant; I bet they got one of those soda machines out in the dining area."

"Rokay Raggy!" Scooby's tail wagged as he balanced the plastic plates on his head and followed Shaggy out the swinging doors. The promise of food almost made it worthwhile to have to walk through this creepy place. The whole place was pretty gloomy, and dark. Made sense, Shaggy supposed, since they were trying to save as much electricity as possible. Still, it gave off a moderate vibe of a horror attraction, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. The halls weren't really light up, and it seemed like something was missing.

Pushing the swinging doors open, Shaggy shrugged and waited for Scooby to walk by him into the dining hall.

They were only ones here, after all.

Besides, the front room to the pizzeria-and by far the biggest-was light up adequately, and more importantly?

"Like, here we go!"

The soda machine was still turned on!

Scooby walked in, and then effectively scooted behind Shaggy and let him take the lead. They crossed the room and several times Scooby nearly tripped Shaggy as he was right under the man's legs. Though, once at the soda fountain, Scooby stood up onto his hind legs and read through his drink choices before selecting root beer. He licked his chops. Pizza two nights in a row? How lucky was he!?

Shaggy topped off his drink with ice and slapped a straw into the cup. He sucked it down, moving out of the way as Scooby finished and took a good look at place.

"The clean-up crew sure left this place in a hurry, huh?" Half the chairs weren't even back in their proper places. Maybe if they had time later they could straighten up a little? Wouldn't kill them.

In fact, he took a moment and did just that, pushing them with care into their spots. His tidying up while he waited for Scooby brought him closer to the stage, and something finally caught his eye.

"Hey, check it out Scoob." came a hushed murmur of awe at the towering animatronics, who stood at up on the stage in posed gestures. Walking past the long tables, Shaggy halted before the stage that was easily waist high and took a long suck from his drink. He gave the three children's entertainers a look before something caught his attention.

"Like, let's see..." He released his straw, leaning over to peer through the grimy film over the gold plating name titles. The little blocks of wood were propped up on stage, and the gold plates were inlaid into the wood. A long time ago, they probably gleamed. Scooby did not want to look and see. In fact, he would be quite content leaving the room, or even the building, altogether. However, with the later being impossible before Shaggy's shift was up and with Shaggy not looking like he was going to leave any time soon, Scooby shakily joined his master by his side.

"Bonnie the Bunny...Chica the Chicken...and I guess this must be like, Freddy, right?"

"Reah," he gulped. "Reddy..." That name was only associated with their dear blond friend but now it gave Scooby the chills.

"Ret's ro, Raggy," Scooby tried to make Shaggy budge. "Rhe rood's retting rold."

The beatnik blinked at the off tone of his best friend.

"Aw, what's the matter Scoob? You're not _scared_ of these things are you? C'mon, they're stuck on stage! And they're turned off at night, see?" To prove his point and soothe the nerves of the nervous hound, he hopped up on stage and stood next to the purple rabbit. Even next to Shaggy, they towered. This really only served to worry Scooby more.

Scooby _really_ didn't like it here but if Shaggy could be completely fine with those creepy, cooky bots then maybe he could be as well?

The Great Dane hopped up onto the stage and faced the one named Chica. He stood onto his hind legs and stared at ...her? It? Scooby sniffed but wrinkled his nose. It smelled like it hadn't been bathed in 20 years! Scooby sneezed and rubbed his snout. He stuck his tongue out, then pulled back his lips until he began to giggle at his own pranks. He continued making faces at her, feeling his heart lighten.

"Atta boy, buddy." Shaggy encouraged, laughing a little himself at the goofy dog. He wandered over to Scooby, finding himself in front of the big bear.

"Like, check it out! Fred's _suuuure_ lookin' different these days, isn't he?" He joked, referring to the leader of their little gang.

Scooby laughed, "Reah! Riff'rent!" Huh, to have thought he was afraid of these things just a couple minutes ago.

For good measure, and also seeing his dog relaxing, Shaggy continued with his well-mannered ribbing.

"Putting on the pounds, aren't ya Freddy?" He asked their 'friend' even going so far as to elbow the animatronic in the stomach a little, laughing with his dog as he did. He lifted his other arm to check his watch at the same time.

"Like, alright Scoob, we better head back to the office. It's way past twelve and I don't want-"  
Shaggy paused, giving his other raised arm an experimental tug.

Staring down at it, Shaggy followed the large baseball mitt paw wrapped round his lower arm.

"Uh...Scoob?" Because he wondered, a little dazedly, if Scooby-Doo was seeing what he was seeing. Daphne always did joke how Shaggy seemed to be made of rubber. He'd never been more grateful for that flexibility than he was right now. He wrenched his arm backwards and clean out of the bear's sudden death grip before it can get any tighter.

"Like, zoinks!" Shaggy managed, taking a few staggering steps backward from the robots.

"W-what's with him?" He managed, looking to Scooby before a sudden whine of metal on metal is heard, three times.

The animatronics had all turned their heads toward the two.

Their eyes were black.

* * *

"You're gonna get iit." Nora sing-songed mockingly as she watched the living dead break through the barricades, instantly setting upon the few remaining protagonists. She snorted at the very thought, protagonists. If they could be called that, the cowards.

Shoving the last of the popcorn into her mouth, she unfolded a leg and stretched it, rolling the ankle joint a bit.

She decided to get something else to eat, more popcorn or maybe some peach cobbler, after the movie's done. That was the only problem with tv airings. Darn commercials.

For now, she watched with a critical, if amused eye as the undead try to pull Helen and Barbra through the windows.

This movie was all cheese and no substance, but Nora would be lying if she said she didn't like a little—or a lot—of cheese now and then.

* * *

Scooby's fur stood on end. As soon as Shaggy was free and let go of Freddy, he took hold of Shaggy's shirt in his teeth and yanked him backwards and further away from danger. Scooby, trembling as he was, placed himself in front of Shaggy and he growled deeply at the animatronics. His nose told him a plethora of things—these were _machines_ , smelly machines yes. But not men in masks. Try as he might, Scooby couldn't recall a time when they had been attacked by machines that _didn't_ turn out to be some old white guy behind a curtain pulling on levers. For some reason, he had the distinct and horrifying notion that they had found another mystery on their hands.

Though his master was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, Scooby knew Shaggy was thinking the same exact thing.

"And like, us without the gang." Shaggy clapped his hand over his face briefly, "Oh this is just a night for surprises."

A hand grabbed Scooby's collar and yanked at his neck. Despite his size, and more importantly Scooby's size, the beatnik managed to haul the dog out of the way as a purple paw came down.

"No time for heroics Scoob—get the lead out!" They scrambled as one, right off the stage and onto the cheap linoleum.

They're too busy running away in terror to notice only the rabbit and chicken are leaving the stage. The chug of machinery and the whine of processors clue them in though that something is in fact following them, and it only takes a moment for the two to figure out it's one for each of them. Reflexes kicked in.

Time for plan B.

Scooby and Shaggy sprinted past the table where they left their pizza. Scooby skidded to a halt and picked up the pie with one paw. The chicken's bib said "Let's Eat" and boy was it gonna! Scooby pulled back and then threw the pizza right at Chica's face, effectively covering her eyes. Hopefully that would at least slow her down for a moment. After all, a moment was all cowards really needed.

Great minds think alike, because Shaggy's already grabbed Scooby's forgotten root-beer, dumping it ice and all behind them so that when Bonnie lumbers after them—zoinks well _that_ was a horrific metallic screech—the rabbit slips and falls fantastically, knocking clear into a table. The ground shudders from the robot's crash, but Shaggy mourns only the wasted soda and pizza.

Both bots taken care of, the two sleuths sprint down the hall at break neck speeds, screams ripping from their throats as Chica stumbles—blindly, her horrifying face covered in dripping sauce and sticky mozzarella—through the double doors.

Thinking quickly, Scooby ripped pots and pans and serving dishes to the ground to trip her up as they ran through the kitchen. Each one landing with sharp, metallic sounds that echoed eerily off the walls. An irritated shriek from the bird only informed Scooby his plan had worked.

* * *

"Shoot!" Nora yelped trying to catch the pan before it hit the ground but not quite making it. She was trying to retrieve a glass from the dish strainer. The plan was to get it without taking that pan out and it did not go very smoothly. The metallic clanging sounded so loud in the dark, empty house and it made Nora jump more than it probably should have. She picked up the pan and shoved it back about where it was probably supposed to go in the cupboard. She grumbled. Getting root beer shouldn't have been that difficult...or loud.

"S'what I get for playing Dish Janga." She scolded herself for her little jump, and dropped a handful of ice cubes into her drink.

Leaning around the corner, she squinted to see what the tv channel was offering next in way of 'Horror Cult Classics' as they said.

" _Nosferatu_? Eh," Nora shrugged. "Haven't seen it in ages. Might as well." Seeing no reason to end her streak, the teen ambled leisurely back into the living room and threw the blanket back over her body, enjoying the flapping noise it made.

She giggled, despite herself. She was the night.

* * *

Bonnie's arms flailed wildly as he walked into a wall, a worn tablecloth covering most of his upper body and sending him reeling as he fought to rip the thing off.

Shaggy peeled round a corner triumphantly after throwing the tablecloth, and now he was skidding alongside Scooby and flattening beside him under the table just as Chica stormed by.

Scooby's tucked himself into Shaggy's side. The heavy metallic footfalls made the table they hid beneath jump just a little. Scooby bit back a whine. They almost thought they were safe when one of her heavy feet stepped on Scooby's long tail. He yipped loudly and jumped so badly that the table flipped forward, so that now they saw, from the waist up, a bewildered chicken who turned her head to the source of the noise.

Shaggy and Scooby looked up as one. They gave innocent, sheepish smiles at the greasy cheese covered chicken staring down at them, fists clenched.

Was it...was it Shaggy's imagination...or did the chicken seem angrier than before?

Well, Shaggy wasn't about to find out. Giving a little wave, he used his long legs to send the table flying at the bird's legs, giving them time to get up and scramble into the kitchen again. They avoided the dining hall by proxy.

Shaggy and Scooby-Doo came around a corner; only making it to the office before a swinging paw from behind them clipped Shaggy and sent him smashing shoulder first into a wall. He yelped, but knew to roll with the movement to keep his precious distance, and he was rewarded by making it into the office with all this limbs intact.

He rubbed at his arm briefly, wincing at the smear of blood on his palm from whatever he'd crashed into. It throbbed and stung, but not enough to worry him. A quick glance at his other arm showed the blossoming bruise from that bear-thing, the skin was purpling and swollen from the abuse. No time for worrying about that now, because a little bruise was nothing compared to whatever it was those robots had in mind for them.

Bonnie, it turned out, was lumbering down the hall from the left, and nearly to the door as it limped closer, closer...

* * *

"Oh man, I call foul! Who bleeds that much and doesn't die? C'mon!" Nora flicked a stray piece of lint at the TV, as if scolding it for the film's lack of realism.

Nora scoffed lightly when she heard a small scratching sound. "Huh..." She got up from the couch and followed the small scratching sound, surprised that she heard it over the television and her own yelling at all. She followed the sound to the side door that lead to the backyard. She peered out the window, which she needed to stand on tip toes to see out of, but did not see anything. She opened the door and found a small bunny. It seemed to be the culprit, because it abandoned the wood it was chewing on, and gave a hopeful dart toward the door. Nora stopped it by creating a blockade with her foot, and the little rabbit shied back.

"Oh, no you don't. Sorry kid but no new pets allowed. Besides," she cheerfully added, scooting the rabbit out and closing the door on it, "Wild rabbits can have diseases. Wouldn't want to get scratched or bit by you!" She locked the door and made her way back into the living room. She plopped onto the couch and turned her focus back onto the screen.

* * *

"R-ro no! Raggy!" Scooby yelped as he put all his weight on sore legs and joints to slam the door in Bonnie's face. Bonnie still managed to get one metal paw in the door and now Scooby was trying to force it out without accidentally getting snatched in the process. He brought his foot into the rabbit's reaching paw, relieved when the door slammed shut and he and Scooby could get a little breathing in.

"D-don't worry Scoob, I'm fine!" Shaggy gave a nervous chuckle as he hauled the tablet over and noticed Chica on the prowl. His shoulder burned but the sting was going away in favor of the bigger threats. The two giant animatronics that were taking their little joke WAY out of proportion were in various places of the restaurant. The dark and gloomy restaurant, which seemed infinitely smaller with those two lugs skulking around. They were so tall; Shaggy couldn't imagine someone human hiding in them. For a brief instant, Shaggy entertained the idea of what Velma would say, and desperately wished she and the rest of the gang weren't out of state.

He could sure use his friends right about now.

Scooby made his way across the office in one jump with his long body. He pressed the other button to slam close the opposite door when he heard the metal clanging of an animatronic down the hall. Once closed, Scooby went straight to Shaggy with a whimper as he wrapped himself around the man. The smell of blood made Scooby's nose wrinkle.

"Raggy," he whimpered, licking the wound. Shaggy laughed shakily, too scared to sit in the rolly chair, so he sank against the back wall with Scooby. Besides, it was dark down here—maybe they'd forget they were here?

"S'all fine, old buddy old pal—you and I both know I've like, had worse." Still, one set of spindly fingers curled between the strap of Scooby's collar, sucking in a few lungfuls of air as his heart pounded in his chest.

"What about you—you're okay too, right Scoob?" He really doesn't want to think about what might happen if Scooby was hurt for his fallacy.

"Ri'm rokay," he shrugged, then winced. Scooby slumped down, his long forelegs draped across the beatnik's legs and Scooby whined. His tail was still hurting badly too. He was probably going to need a trip to the vet to just make sure everything was intact.

"Okay, like, okay…on three, we'll make another run for it."

Scooby whined, but nodded. The sooner they got out of here, the better.

Shaggy went back to the cameras briefly, heart starting to slow to reasonable levels. Who in their right mind would _work_ here?

Despite this, it occurred to Shaggy briefly that, if this WAS a man in a mask type deal, (though the idea was getting more impossibly wild be the second) then there _was_ some reason they were being chased, because that's how it always went. Shaggy ignored that stupid thought in favor of the fear he now clung to. It was a stupid thought because the next thing it would lead to was the ever classic,

' _Guys, I think we've got another mystery on our hands!'_ Fred's voice echoed in his head.

And Shaggy wanted no part of that, thank you very much.

Another glance at the cameras rewarded them with the chicken nowhere in sight, and the rabbit in the Parts and Services room. Granted, he was staring at the screen creepily, but it still meant the only thing they'd have to pass on the way out the door and to blessed safety was old Fazbear himself. Shaggy did a quick mental run through of the shortest path and concluded it would be worth the risk. He didn't need to tell his plan to Scooby, he knew the dog would follow him.

"One…" he started counting, inching out the door and peeking out a fraction. He didn't need to look behind him to know his dog was right on his heels.

"Like…two…" He breathed, and heard a slight movement to their left, the door they were, thankfully, _not_ going out of.

"Three!"

It should have occurred to Shaggy, if Bonnie could move, then why not Chica? The chicken was coming out of the kitchen just as the duo rounded the corner. They skidded to a halt and dashed under a table across the hall, squished together uncomfortably, but knowing they worked better as a whole when it came down to the grind.

Sitting there in the dark, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo held their breath as Chica the chicken started walking slowly, slowly, down the hall toward them.

* * *

Nora yawned loudly as she finally turned off the television. She stretched her back out, "Eh, that's enough of the old boob tube for one night."

She folded the blankets she was using and took her dishes to the kitchen. She double checked the locks before turning off her fan, ready to haul it up to the attic. She glanced at the clock to get an idea of just how early it was. "I bet Uncle Shaggy's bored..." Being the only one in an old, dark building for six hours didn't exactly sound appealing. Scooby, in her mind, most certainly did not count.

Nora popped her lips before picking up the land-line and dialing her uncle's cell phone number. Or rang once, twice but then the thing went suddenly to voice mail. Thinking it curious but not enough to warrant worried, she waited for the voice mail to begin. At the tone she tried to sound pleasant, "Hey Uncle Shaggy, it's just me. I'm not being devoured or suffering a horrible disease, I just wanted to say hello and I hope that your first night is going well. I'll see you tomorrow...era, today. G'night."

* * *

Shaggy sat there, pinned to the wall in panic as he held his cell phone in his hand before the chicken. The small little flip phone had gone off—a call from Nora-he thought he saw before he killed the noise, but it was too late. Scooby gave an anxious noise, and Shaggy echoed it.

Chica had thrown the table out of the way, as if to say she was not going to be tricked again by the same thing. Well, that was fine with Shaggy.

He raised the phone at the animatronic bird, opened it and hit the camera button with a shaking thumb. He and Scooby closed their eyes.

It was a crappy camera, sure, but the flash went off beautifully in the dark room, earning them an indignant shriek from the now blinded chicken as she reared back from the blast of blinding light.

Stowing the phone back into his pocket, he and Scooby took off down the hall, having no choice but to back track and end up right where they had started. The Security room.

Defeated and panting, the two slammed the door behind Chica and were grateful the rabbit seemed to have found something else to terrorize for the time being. Shaggy crumpled down the wall again, letting his long legs drop out. The room was tiny now, impossibly tiny with the aspect of those lurking goons. But small could be good, Shaggy knew. Small meant nothing could sneak in with them without them noticing, small meant they could reach the door and light buttons, each one taking a side. They had faster reflexes with the two of them than if it were just Shaggy. What one might miss, the other could catch.

Shaggy's hand found Scooby's shoulder-blades, giving it a grateful little rub as he hauled the ancient laptop closer so he could read it.

"Like...wow..." He managed, still out of a breath. The rabbit—Bonnie—was staring into the screen at them again, and it was like it hadn't moved at all. After their little sprint around the pizzeria with them, he just couldn't find the energy to be scared enough to scream.

Shaggy only whimpered, much like Scooby, and swallowed the noise as he noticed the power level.

"What's gotten into them? We—we needta keep an e-eye on those kooky animatronics."

"Rhat rime ris it?" Scooby asked, pushing his nose up between the beatnik and the old clunky computer. He whined at the sight of Bonnie glaring at him.

"O-only 2 something..." Shaggy checked his watch. "We got another four hours buddy..." He gulped, considering what the odds were of getting to the door and high tailing it out of here.

"...N-normally I'd say us cowards should make like bananas and split b-but..." He winced, stomach clenching guiltily at the thought of little Norry at home. Who had just called him. Who needed to be fed and have a great summer and be _safe_.

He gulped, and tried to steel himself.

"But we gotta see this night though, pal."

Scooby whimpered. "Range ruh ramera," he asked at least. He couldn't take that rabbit anymore. Shaggy nodded, it was a good idea but his throat was too dry to form any words right now. Thinking wistfully to the soda that gave its life so that they might live, Shaggy hunkered down and tapped frantically between the screens, trying to account for all three of the robots. Something caught Scooby's curiosity as Shaggy flipped screens. It was...colored bars...like a power gauge perhaps? What, like a video game? Scooby cocked his head to one side before asking,

"Rhat's rhat?" He pointed with his nose at the icon on the screen.

"Huh? That's the level of...something. Maybe the cameras, I think? Y-yeah..." Seemed a reasonable guess. Velma did say he was getting better at deductive reasoning.

"And when it reaches zero..." Shaggy gulped at the thought of not being able to use the cameras to find the robots. "Uh, let's _not_ let that happen, right Scoob?"

The power seemed awfully high for only the camera power. It was down to 49% already and that made Scooby shake and shiver. He looked through the cameras and found that both bots had backed off some. Testing a theory, Scooby stood up and opened one door, quite reluctantly too. "Rhat's ruh rower rat?"

"H-huh?" A quick glance back down, "Still fourty-nine. Hey, it's staying there when the doors aren't being used. Zoinks, I think this little battery's like, reading the whole place!" He moaned

"Ro no," Scooby groaned right along with his friend. This night somehow had gotten even worse. Cautiously, Scooby stuck his head out the door to look for any threats. When none presented itself, thankfully, he backed into the room again.

"See anything?" Shaggy breathed out to his faithful friend, making room for Scooby so sit closer to him. It was for the both of them, they needed the comfort and familiarity of each other. Something about having your best friend there, man.

"No," Scooby answered, leaning up against Shaggy's side, his tail encircling the beatnik. "How rabout ruh monitor?" Scooby wrapped a foreleg around Shaggy's shoulders, pulling him a little closer.

Even in the worst situations, as long as Scooby had Shaggy, then there was hope.

Shaggy's skyrocketing nerves are halted-at the very least slowed dramatically. He drapes his right arm round the big dog without taking his eyes of the screen, adjusting the tablet so they both can see.

"Like, that bunny guy's here...the chicken's there...thankfully, the bear's still on stage. He can, uh, stay there all night for all I care." He winced, remembering his pulled wrist. Just because he got free didn't mean he got out unscathed. It wasn't swelling but it was aching a little bit.

"Scooby-Doo we are getting _way_ too old for this." Shaggy declared as he tracked the robots progress across the restaurant.

"Reah, rold," Scooby agreed, nosing at Shaggy's hurt wrist. His tongue flicked out a few times.

Scooby reluctantly watched the tablet screen, hoping nothing decided to jump or suddenly appear that would scare him. As if on cue, Chica's face was on the screen—taking up the screen. Her head was hanging oddly, her lower beak wide open and teeth gleaming in the dim camera's light.  
It was fine, because both of them screamed bloody murder. Scooby was shaking, now wrapping both his forelegs and hind legs around Shaggy. Nope. Not letting go. Not even a chance. The tablet nearly broke, because Shaggy's arms were otherwise occupied with constricting around Scooby-Doo's, as they trembled and their teeth clacked.

Finally, and with painstaking care, Shaggy tapped a new camera with a finger, relaxing when he saw the camera was still picking up Bonnie. Which meant he wasn't outside the door, which meant they could breath.

The hours dragged on, slowly and painfully so. The knots in their chests and stomachs were coiled more tightly than a writhing snake. Shaggy winced. Great, now all he could think about was snakes.  
Pointedly, he kept his gaze on the screen, only having to look up once or twice to catch some movements out in the dark hall.

By some sheer stroke of luck, the power was at a whiny 14% when a chime went off throughout the place.

6:00 am had come.

Scooby jumped at the alarm, his head whipping back and forth. Had Shaggy set an alarm? No, no that was definitely sounding throughout the building. He checked the clock and sure enough, it was the end of the shift.

"Raggy, look!" Scooby exclaimed tiredly. He quickly flicked through the cameras only to find all three animatronics on stage as if they had never moved. Shaggy blinked tiredly, the adrenaline starting to wear off. He checked his watch, checked the camera, and then his watch again.

"Uh...well my _shift_ ends at six. Like, we can go home...?" He glanced warily at the stage camera, slowly getting to his feet. "I, I think we can, anyway. Erh...c'mon, Scoob." He gestured with a hand, edging out into the hall.

Scooby followed the beatnik, both of them feeling rather numb from the exhaustion that constant anxiety brought on. They had dealt with scary before, even frightening, but nothing as horrifying as the events of that night. None that was coming to mind at least. Besides, anything they did encounter certainly didn't last for six whole hours. Where was the reprieve? Right now was when, he supposed with some bitterness. Shaggy didn't even look to his left at the stage as they passed, he was afraid his legs would give out. The combined sprinting and then being cooped up in that office for the remainder of the night had done nothing healthy for him physically.

It was almost sunrise, and little licks of orange could be seen east through the grimy windows.

How was it even possible that a morning could be so calm after what they had experienced? Very rarely was there such a disjunct for them on a case—except this totally wasn't a case—because that haunted house stayed spooky, the graveyard stayed barren. But at Feddy Fazbear's pizzeria, the realism hit too close to home. The air was cool and the unjust sereneness of the town only added to the numb feeling in their chests and their heads. Their throat still hurt from all the screaming they did. And yet, they got into the van, Shaggy turned the key in the ignition and they went home.

The scariest part of the whole night was when he realized he would have to do it all over again.

* * *

 **Honey:** **Tried my luck at writing Scooby for the first time. Charlies says he turned out alright. I sure hope that you think so as well!** **Poor Chica can't see shit tonight!**

 **Charlie: Cris Freeze (author of** _ **Obsession**_ **) said it best when he said** _ **'I think it's time for more of the (horror) field to acknowledge that**_ _,_ ** _when we come face-to-face with the monsters, we may find ourselves looking not at a mask but at a mirror_** _._ _ **'**_ **Keep that in mind as the story progresses. Also, the best part of this whole story was writing Nora's night of boredom in tandem with Shaggy and Scooby's…not so boring night.**


	4. Survive the Night

**See end for author's notes.**

 **Chapter 4. Survive the Night**

Shaggy woke up around one the next afternoon, and instantly wished he hadn't.

He had a headache in his brain that could put a marching band to shame. It felt like there were two monkeys and only one banana in-between his ears, making him knit his eyes closed against the afternoon light trying to filter through his bedroom windows. And his back was positively killing him, either from the breakneck running he had done last night or because the entirety of Scooby-Doo was lying on him. But he was grateful for the weight of his best friend, taking solace in the steady breathing of the still sleeping hound. Scoob's heartbeat was almost over his, the dogs head lying by his left ear with his chin resting on the pillow.

Shaggy hauled an arm that had been hanging over the side, and pushed his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose, rubbing it vigorously as he tried to make a mental list of all he had to do today before…

 _The_ _next_ _night shift._

Moaning, Shaggy pushed one arm under him.

"Rise and shine, old buddy old pal." Shaggy mumbled as he rubbed his eyes with his fists. Scooby mumbled and slipped off him onto the sheets, yawning and stretching his mess of limbs as he shook himself awake.

"Rornin'." The dog greeted.

"Mornin', Scoob." The beatnik sat up, cracking his back a couple times as he followed. "I gotta shower, vacuum, do the dishes and make something for Nor— _jinkies_!" He squawked, startling Scooby so bad he stumbled getting off the bed.

"Rhat?!"

"Poor Norry, we just came home and dropped into bed, didn't even make her breakfast! She must be starving Scoob, c'mon, let's get the lead out." Shaggy instructed, getting dressed lighting quick, running a comb through his hair (for all the good it did) and taking the stairs two at a time with his long legs. Scooby followed, big paws skidding as he came right after his human. He was hungry too, in all honesty, and he wasn't looking forward to another night at that pizzeria.

Nora was in the living room watching some old film that was playing on the television when she heard a clattering down the stairs. Her uncle and his dog ran right by the couch she was sitting on and were nearly to the kitchen when she turned and yelled, leaning over the back of the couch to keep them in her sights. "Hey, shouldn't there be a rule about not running in the house or something?"

"Like, there is! But it's only if you've got scissors with ya! Can't stop to talk we gotta feed yo-" Shaggy swung his head around the corner, one side stained with grease and sporting a nice bruise on the other side, trying to overtake his cheek bone.

Scooby's head joined his, though lower, and the dog whined in confusion.

"Norry? Like, we're so sorry kiddo, we didn't make ya breakfast, you must be starved!"

"I'm fourteen. I can scramble eggs and make myself a sandwich," Nora shrugged.

She had slept quite soundly and hadn't even heard her uncle or Scooby drag themselves in through the door. In fact, she slept just as soundly as they were up until quite recently. She had already showered and tip-toed her way down stairs and fed herself both breakfast and lunch. And currently she was enjoying a snack of popcorn as she channel-surfed.

"It's not like I was going to wake you up to do what I can do mysel...uncle Shaggy?" Her brows furrowed. "What's up with your face?" She got off the couch and approached him when she saw the bruise and grease. She had thought it was a trick of the light but upon closer inspection,

"What did you _do_?!"

"Uh...up with my...?" He touched the bruise, masking his wince with a sheepish, crooked smile.

"Oh, like, _nothin'_! Your old Uncle just, tripped. That pizzeria gets pretty shady at night, turns out." He kept his strained smile, pushing the thoughts of that heavy paw swinging at him, the unholy shrieks that left a ringing between his ears.

"Right Scoob?" He asked, tone of voice calling for back up.

"Ruh...reah! Rumsy!" Scooby agreed, eyes focused hopefully on the popcorn bowl. His own fur looked scuffed, his collar backwards and spots of dirt on his fur, but it wasn't like he'd rolled.

"Oh...okay. Just, be careful awright? It looks like you were in a bar room brawl."

Nora stepped back and went back to the living room and picked up her bowl so she could protect her popcorn from Scooby and his slobber. "Um, do _you_ want _me_ to make you something? I mean, when did you even get home? You can't tell me you aren't tired." At Scooby's hopeful eyes set on her snack, Nora held the bowl up a little higher and mouthed, 'No.'

The Great Dane's ears sank at the 'n' word and he sank to his belly, head on his paws and lower lip jutting pathetically as he gazed up at her.

"I wish..." He muttered softly under his breath as he went back into the kitchen, wincing at the protesting sting of muscles he didn't think he had. Apparently he did, and apparently they got overworked last night.

"Like, I'm okay Norry. We got home around 7 or so. Plenty of time to rest up." He managed a smile and kept his tone light; deciding all he could stomach was a bowl of cereal and milk. Every time he thought about eating that _stench_ from those kooky bots came back to him.

"If you're sure," Nora shrugged once more. Effectively ignore Scooby and stepping over him, she placed her bowl on the kitchen counter.

"Sooo, how was it? Is it everything you could ever dream of? Do you get to eat leftover pizza?" She was sarcastic but tried to keep her tone light, maybe even get Shaggy to smile? Usually she wouldn't try too hard but he was being far less cheery than usual and it was weird...

He tossed her a little smile over his shoulder for her questions, either not noticing the sarcasm, not caring, or simply too tired to pick up.

"We, uh, were pretty busy the first night." That was true. "Had too good a time to bother with pizza!" That was most certainly _not_ true. He was relieved Freddy wasn't here. He could spot a lie a mile off. Shaggy's smile slipped by the time he turned back to the counter, putting effort into keeping his hand steady as he drowned his cheerios.

"C'mon Scoob, chow time." He called, and the dog came trotting in. Shaggy jumped at the noise but covered it with a shaky laugh.

"Busy? Really? What do they make you do that you're so busy?" Nora eyed her strange uncle, who seemed very skittish but that wasn't too out of the norm for him. He was equal parts laid back and running for the hills, if anyone could be such a thing.

Crap. The question seemed to caught him off guard, even Scooby lifted his head from his bowl as they shared a sudden look.

"Oh, nothing too much Norry. It's a lot different than being a cook, yanno? I guess me and Scoob weren't prepared for it. We, uh, just watch cameras and—look out for the place. Night guard stuff." Look out for themselves, too. Even Shaggy wasn't used to 24 hour terror.

"Okay," she said, already stepping through the threshold. "Lemme know if need help," she called over her shoulder. Nora plopped down back onto the couch ungracefully, as she tried to get comfy amongst the pillows and a blanket. She umuted the television and caught the popcorn her tossed into the air in her mouth with a satisfying, **crunch!**

' _No way, it was her summer!'_ Shaggy thought to himself as he got up from the table.

"C'mon Scoob. Chore time." He paused, cracking his back as he straightened up. "Ah-first painkillers. _Then_ chores." He grimaced, and Scooby shot him a sympathetic look before the dog trotted upstairs to the medicine cabinet.

He came back, and was given the job of vacuuming. It didn't make the best noise but he just needed to do two rooms, so the Great Dane pushed the yellow monster into the living room and over to an empty outlet. Like anyone else who had to vacuum, he found himself humming.

Nora just stared at the dog who had interrupted her movie with his chores...wait, what? Her mouth hung open in disbelief. She didn't know dogs could hum? "What are you _doing_?!" She shouted over the sound of the machine.

Scooby's unfolded ear flicked and he twisted at her voice.

" _Rhat_?!" He shouted back, cocking his head in confusion. He couldn't quite hear her, what was she yelling in about? The vacuum whined as he pushed it over the dated carpet.

"WHAT ARE YOU-" she shook her head, "I am not shouting at a vacuuming dog," she muttered to herself. She hoped up to her feet and unplugged the plug out from the wall. The vacuum's humming and whirling faded painfully with its power cut off. This time, without having to yell, Nora demanded,

"What are you doing?"

"Raccuming." Scooby supplied cheerfully. "Ralmost done, Rora." He added, as if that were the problem. In any case, he stood there expectantly, hoping she put the plug back in.

Nora gave the dog s strange look before plugging the cord back into the power socket. She grumbled to herself about weirdo dogs before hopping back onto the couch and out of Scooby's way. After a moment, she flicked a piece of popcorn onto the floor, curious as to whether he would eat it or vacuum it up. Unfazed by any of that, Scooby happily went back to his task. He pushed the noisy thing a second time over the carpet, blinking at the sudden appearance of the popcorn piece.

"Rora, be rareful." He corrected mildly as he shooed the piece into the monster's jaws. He'd just gotten this carpet clean, after all! But he whined at the loss of a snack either way. Oh well.

Nora furrowed her brows. Scooby had most definitely been eyeing her popcorn since he realized she had the snack. "Why didn't you eat it?" Nope, no way she was talking to this dog. Let alone asking it questions and awaiting answers.

Scooby looked at her as if she were the dog vacuuming the living room.

"...rou raid no?" He reminded, wondering if she was alright.

Nora blinked up at him, looking less like a bitter teenager and more like a curious child.

"But...you _wanted_ it. And, it's not like I was going to eat it. It was on the floor."

Scooby forgot sometimes, not all humans made sense like his best friend did.

"Rah-huh. Rou still raid 'no.'"

Nora let her head cock to one side as she studied at the Great Dane for a moment. "If I hadn't said no, would you have eaten it?"

He had gone back to vacuuming, humming contently. "Reah?" He told her honestly. It was popcorn after all!

"But you didn't...because I said _'no_.'" Nora watched the dog as he continued to vacuum until he finished. He was so strange! He slept on the furniture, he ate at the table, but wouldn't eat a piece of popcorn off the floor because she told him no? Nora wondered about the dog but not for long, for dogs weren't exactly her favorite subject. She almost considered offering a handful or two of the treat to him. Almost. Instead, she just resumed watching T.V. for another hour.

Scooby-Doo just went back to his chore, and when he was done with that he went by the door frame with what looked like a mop and bucket. He and Shaggy finished everything they needed to around four, giving them plenty of time to rest. Or in their case, silently worry about what was going to happen tonight at that spooky pizzeria.

"But like, I got no choice Scooby." said Shaggy as he dug around the freezer for something for dinner. He was sure Norry was upstairs or something, and couldn't hear them.

"Raggy..."

"It'll be cool, Scooby-Doo. Hey, how about hot dogs and mac n cheese for dinner? Like, try not to think of it as a last meal."

The dog threw a paw over his face and whined.

* * *

"Hey, you got everything?" Nora asked her Uncle, trying to keep her tone light. It was odd...her Uncle and Scooby were being uncharacteristically quiet as the evening wore on. And now they seemed to be dragging their feet now that they were heading out to work. _'I guess this job is more of a bummer than I thought.'_ Even Nora was trying to be extra nice to them. Shaggy, still drying dishes, didn't answer. Scooby was lying on in the hallway floor looking nervous and jumping at every little noise.

Well, that was unusual. Nora entered the kitchen and bit the inside of her cheek. In a tone that was far more unsure she asked, "Uncle Shaggy?"

"Gya!" He spun, the dish towel went flying, the cup plinked back into the sink and narrowly avoided shattering to the floor.

Scooby came running in with fear in his big doggy eyes and bee-lined for his master-where he promptly jumped into the beatnik's arms and they shook together.

Shaggy paused.

Nora also jumped and yelped at their sudden reactions, closing her fists while also jumping into a crane pose. "Jeeeez," she complained, dropping her arms, willing her heart and breathing to steady. "Calm down, wouldja? You're acting like I'm the boogey man."

"Oh-oh!" Breaking out into nervous laughter, Shaggy and Scooby reluctantly parted.  
"S-sorry kiddo! Like, of course you're not!"

"Yeah," Nora forced a chuckle, "how 'bout that..." There was an awkward tension that hung heavy in the room. Nora shrugged, "I asked you if you had everything for work?"

The response was instantaneous. "Oh, right..." He gulped, sparing a depressed glance at his dog, who whined. "Work.Y-yeah. We're, uh, almost...ready."

He felt like he was going to his death. Could they last a second night?

An uneasy feeling coiled in Nora's stomach. Even in the worst situations, Nora has always known her Uncle and his dog managed to remain somewhat positive and goofy and...themselves.

A troubling thought occurred, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer. "...is everything okay?" Despite the growing concern that, no, everything was not.

Scooby and Shaggy shared a quick look, but came to a joint decision.

"Yeah, Norry. It's just, we've never worked a night shift before, yanno? The odd hours are putting us off our stomach!"

Well, they weren't lying.

"Oh, okay," Nora answered quietly. When Shaggy finished up the last dish and headed towards the door, she followed. All three were quiet, as if they were part of a funeral procession.

Finally, Nora spoke up, "Whatever it is...I'm sorry."

Her words made him halt, Scooby colliding with his legs but he didn't mind. He turned at her little voice, mouth falling open and blinking at her.

"Norry...no, no, it's not you, kiddo!" He worried, closing the space and pulling her into a little hug. "Hey, we'll be back t-tomorrow morning and, and we'll go to the movies. Like, I'll buy the snacks, okay?" He says with a tired smile, trying to cheer her up.

Surprised by his hug, Nora's first reaction was to squirm away. She stopped herself and she wrapped her arms around Shaggy's thin waist. She looked up at him and his tired smile. _'He already can't afford to keep me around. He can't afford to take me places on top of that.'_

"Yeah, that sounds great, Uncle Shaggy...we'll see, okay?"

"Great!" He manages to draw himself up, taking a deep breath before turning down to smile at Scooby.

"Ready, old pal?"

"Ri rink ro." Scooby said, drawing on Shaggy'a confidence, no matter how fleeting it was.  
"We'll see ya later, Norry."

"Yeah, I'll see ya," Nora replied. She stood in the doorway until he pulled out of the driveway, waving goodbye.

As soon as they were down the street, she closed the door and quickly pulled on her converse. Pulling a page of hastily scrawled notes out of her pocket to scan them over one last time, committing them to memory. "Not that difficult...and I know these streets so the dark won't slow me down too much." Nora retrieved the little packed basket she prepared and took off for the garage where Sugey's old bike was stored.

* * *

Nora looked left and right as she knelled before the entrance to the pizzeria. She took out a hair pin to release the lock on the door, hoping that this would work as well in real life as it did in the movies. However, she found that when she put the slightest pressure on the door it creaked pushed open. Nora sighed, _Night guard who can't even lock the door to the place?_

She rolled her eyes but picked up her little basket she packed. She ducked into the building. Not exactly sure where to go, she ended up running through to the other side of the building before hearing her uncle's voice. She tip-toed down the hall, biting her lip as she imagined the looks on her uncle and Scooby's faces. Finally, she jumped out, facing the open doorway and yelled,

"Hi Uncle Shaggy!"

Shaggy took one look at her and screamed.

His hand came down on a button, a great grinding and sliding of metal followed as a thick industrial strength sheet of steel shot down in-between them, blocking her off from the tiny room.

There was a pause, and then suddenly Shaggy (and now Scooby) were screaming for all different reasons. Nora, left out in the dark, should not have been surprised. In fact, she should have felt more surprised if something like this _didn't_ happen. Nora wasn't afraid of the dark but she didn't appreciate her greeting after sneaking here with a kind of picnic she made for herself and Shaggy. Nora stepped over to the window and knocked on it. "Stop screaming, it's just me. Please open the door?"

"Raggy! Rits Rora!"

But Shaggy was having his own problems.

"Grnhh-like I know, I know! But I can't open the door. I think it's like, jammed!" He whined fearfully, now just punching the button with a fist in a vain attempt to get the door to go back up.

Something clicked quietly, but the door refused to budge.

It was Scooby who had the decency to hit the light with a paw, but he almost turned it back off when he saw the outline of a pair of ears.

"Raggy!" But Shaggy had seen, and was already looking at his watch.

 _12:03._

With her focus on the two fools in the security office, Nora was too distracted to notice the mechanical sounds approaching from behind her. She didn't notice anything at all until after Scooby had turned on the overhead light. She squinted to protect her eyes from the sudden light. "Relax guys, could you just—" she noticed the strange reflection in the window. She wiped around and nearly screamed like her uncle and Scooby.

There was a…a giant mechanical rabbit leaning over her. It was _huge_. And it was _staring_. Or, well, it would be if robots were capable of that, she distantly told herself.

Bonnie leaned over the girl thrumming quietly, eyes flicking fondly as he considers her. Gee, they hadn't been free roaming enough to meet any new kids! His ears bobbed and flicked, but mostly he was focused on the girl.

Nora stared up at the giant, metal bunny. She let go of the breath she wasn't aware that she was holding in out of fear. She could swear it almost seemed like...like it might be regarding her kindly? No...that has to be a stretch. But it didn't seem too keen on doing much of anything besides standing there creepily/

She swallowed hard.

"H-heeey big guy! I didn't see you there. You must be…part of the pizzeria, right?" Nora went for friendliness, hoping the rabbit would reciprocate. It was probably attracted by all the noise they were making! The tech here for a pizzeria must have been top-notch, because she could hardly believe this was a robot. But there were gears, servos clicking and whining. Nora did her best to ignore the oddly bright red gaze of the red-eyed wandering rabbit.

"Like—h-hey!" Both of them jump, actually. Nora at the sound of her Uncle, the rabbit at the sound of the Adult.

The flickering of a flashlight and her Uncle's terrified antagonizing of the machine drew her attention. Then the light hits and Nora watched the robot's eyes dilate and go black with white pinpricks, laying furious eyes on the scrawny night guard at the end of the hall.

It's like a switch is hit.

Bonnie _screeched_ and stormed toward the man.

As luck would have it, right when Bonnie takes off the door behind her lifts open. Something grab's the back of her shirt and hauls her hard, releasing her only when she's behind him. At the same time as nails skittered across the cheap linoleum, and the giant Great Dane scrambled down the hall, hackles raised and obviously terrified out of his wits. But he collided with Bonnie anyway, clumsily knocked him away from Shaggy even as the bunny reared around and grabbed Scooby triumphantly by his collar. The dog yelped, but out of fear rather than actual pain it seemed as the bunny gave a roar of its own.

"H-hey! Like-l-let him go you cr-reepy r-rabbit!" Shaggy trembled, taking a step forward. Bonnie's arm shot out carelessly, finding purchase and sending the thin man colliding heavily with the opposite wall. He slid down it, and landed in a heap. Shaggy did not get back up. The flashlight went rolling, the foggy light beam bounced around the hall as Bonnie grabbed the thrashing Scooby and tugged.

The next thing the dog knows, he's being heaved clear off the ground with one hand, and Bonnie is lumbering away. In the dark light of the hall, and with the flashlight long gone, it's impossible to see the two as the rabbit lumbers off into the pitch black.

Soon, the mechanical sounds fade, and so do Scooby's doggy whines and yelps.

The pizzeria fell deathly silent.

The bile was rising in her throat and she wanted to scream but Nora was terrified that, that _thing_ will come back and hurt her uncle worse. When Bonnie is rounded the corner, Nora moved. She scrambled towards Shaggy and ungracefully collided his with unconscious form. Tears poured down her cheeks as she dragged him into the office. She cried, trying to figure out the button and closed the doors and turns on all the lights. Anything to keep that rabbit away, in case it returns. As desperately as she wanted to follow to save Scooby, but Uncle Shaggy was in worse condition. Probably. Her fear boiled in her stomach and she felt like a little kid again. This, this was _horrible_. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't stand feeling helpless. One look at her too still Uncle, and she scoots closer on instinct. Seeking comfort even know, despite how _useless_ it all was, and felt.

She was on the floor before she realized it, rocking back and forth and all she can do is cry out some of her fear. She checked her uncle's phone but it isn't getting any reception within the cement walls of this old building. Last night, when she had called...it made sense now.

Why had he come _back_ here?

"Uncle Sha-Shaggy..." She tried, her voice warbling.

"I need-hic- need to call 911," she thought out loud. Nora noticed the old phone and even older message machine with its blinking red light, informing her that there were two messages recorded. She reached for the receiver but her hands were shaking too badly. She knocked it from its cradle and pressed the play button on the message machine.

 _"Hello, hello!"_

* * *

Shaggy finally stirred after what seemed like an eternity, one hand rising to clutch his throbbing head as he gingerly sat up. He leaned heavily on his arm as he called wearily for his niece and for his dog.

"N..Norry? Scoob?"

Nora jumped at Shaggy's voice. She spun away from the monitor and went to him, sliding the last foot or two to him. Despite his injuries, Nora pulls him into a tight hug as she tried so hard not to cry, "You wouldn't wake up!'

"Grnhh," He winces, but, oh man Norry sounded _scared_ and Shaggy doesn't ever remember a time she's sounded like this. Not even during a thunderstorm. He tried to smile; it's tired, and hauls her into a one armed hug, rubbing her back a little.

"Don't worry, kiddo, I'm right here. You're okay, o-okay?" He promised, even if he's not sure these are promises he's allowed to make. "Like, Scoob and I'll will figure a way to...uh, Scoob?" Silence. Shaggy swallows. "Heh...old buddy old pal? Hiding under the desk again?"

Nora pulls away to look at her uncle with red eyes, swollen from crying. Her lips are pressed into a thin line. She shakes her head in the negative,

"It-it got him," she whimpers. She hiccuped, "It took him away—" The sound of metal clanking made her jump and gasp. She looked up at the monitor. "Oh-oh _nononononono_!" Chica wasn't on screen anymore. Nora jumped to her feet and shut the door.

"Kiddo?" Oh man, she's just a bundle of nerves, he can see her shaking from here. He can't blame her. That's part of what gets his aching body up as quick as he does. That and…

"Scooby's... _what_?" He hits the light and swallows, wincing at the stare from the chicken. He swallowed, and leaned shakily over the cameras and flicking through them to try and spot the Great Dane.

"Like, Scooby-Doo... _where are you?"_

No answer.

Nora yelped a little at the sight of Chica, turning the light right back off. "We won't have enough power using it like that," she near-scolds him. She immediately softens though at his question, and then realizes from his look that he knows this.

That he's done this before already, at least once. Last night.

"I-I'm sorry. Earlier, Scooby took on Bonnie. He was protecting us and...he saved us."

Maybe any other adult would have told Nora she shouldn't have been here in the first place but...Shaggy had bigger things on his mind. He swallowed thickly, and nodding, still rubbing his head every so often.

"Scoob's a really amazing dog. H-he'll be okay, Norry." Shaggy tried to convince her, and he refused to use the past tense.

"We—I'll—go look for him after the shift's over. Nora, let me take care of the bots, you need some rest, c'mere." He pulls her into another hug.

She sniffled and tucked herself under his chin. She swallowed again, trying to get a hold of nerves but one miserable thought tugs at her. "But...what if he doesn't have until the shift is over, uncle Shaggy? What if he's already really hurt, or _worse_?"

Like _that_ horrifying thought hasn't occurred to him. He saves face though, tried to keep the shake from his voice.

"Who—like, _Scooby-Doo_? Nora, if I know him, a-and I do, he's hidden somewhere not even we'll be able to find him. Without a couple scooby snacks anyway. Why, I bet Scoob's just hiding somewhere waiting for the hullabaloo to cool down, uh, yeah!"

Nora sniffed again, looking up at her uncle with wide eyes, "Are you sure?" She wanted to believe him. Even if she knew it was probably too far-fetched to be true, she wanted to believe Shaggy was speaking with confidence instead of trying to fill her with false hope. "He might be safe and hiding away somewhere?"

"Like...yeah, kiddo. I believe he's okay. He _always_ is." And god, isn't that true.

"You know...we've faced a lot worse than this. I only ever told you some of the adventures with the gang, I never told ya about the...other stuff."

"...the _other_ stuff?" She asked, eyes wide. It was strange, to see her goofy uncle being serious and actually assuming an adult role. To think of him and his weird dog doing something other than being the comic relief among their friend group was something Nora could not imagine.

"What's the other stuff?"

"Ah—we don't really have the time to get into that right now. But, your Great Uncle left me a mansion that's now a safe house for ghosts, I might have been a werewolf for half a month, and I was also a gym teacher at an all girls' school for legendary monsters. You'd be surprised how cute the mummy's daughter is." He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. The rambling helps him keep his mind off the fear. "Then there's the Chest of Demons, I think that's still kicking around in the basement somewhere. Mr. VanGhoul was a pretty cool—if kooky—kind of warlock."

Nora gave in enough that the corner of her mouth quirked into a small smile. "Aw, yeah right, Uncle Shaggy. All the monsters you guys have faced were all people in masks. You didn't really face ghosts and ghouls and...turn into a _werewolf_?" Nora scrunched her nose, "That's just silly."

He turned in the old chair, reaching over and ruffling her hair.

"I was kinda hoping I could keep you believing it was fake for a little while longer. But, Nora? That stuff is as silly as this situation right now is. Okay?"

The tone of his voice was just so unlike Shaggy that it was eerie. Nora frowned, all her momentary humor leaving her completely. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded. No sense in arguing. Then, "If this is really real, then that means Scooby Doo is in really real danger while he's out there."

"And like, it means Scooby-Doo knows what to do. This isn't out first time in a sticky situation with 'real' danger, and like, it won't be our last." He says, getting to his point.

"It'll be okay, Norry. ...Trust us." The 'us' was said so automatically it seemed to surprise even Shaggy.

Shaggy went back to the cameras, head tilted down and leg bouncing in anxiety as he flicked through the angles quickly. Bonnie was in the dining room, which left him to have to find that creepy chicken lady...thing.

Who was, in fact, leaning in by the window and noticing for the first time a _child_ standing by the window! The chicken's facial features brightened-somehow-and she leaned over to wave at the girl quietly, blinking once.

Nora looked over and jumped. Her jaw dropped but no sound came out. When Chica leaned in closer to the glass and waved again, Nora closed her mouth and blinked back. Last time she checked, murderous robots did not wave and smile...if that's what you could call Chica's expression. Nora stepped closer to the window and raised a shaky hand back.

The animatronic had eyelids, they shifted down a bit, softening the chicken's stare to an almost affection gaze, leaning in a little more and tilting her head.

"Nor— _AHHH_!" The sound of the door slamming followed her Uncle's unholy shriek, and Nora had a first seat view to the way Chica _twitched_ and jerked her head at Shaggy, eyes turning to pinpricks as her maw opened in a silent scream, showing too many rows of teeth as her jaw swung loose and her head jerked wildly. Her hand moved to a fist and banged on the glass, still glaring at her Uncle like he'd done some unspeakable horror to her.

Nora jumped from all the noise and actions happening around her. But in those few short seconds in which Chica's demeanor transformed, something made the cogs in Nora's mind start to turn. She looks from her uncle back to Chica and begins waving.

"Hey girl, over here! Over here!" Getting the chicken's attention, Nora smiles a forced, toothy grin and waits to see her reaction.

The eyes followed her movements, and then her head turned, jaw pulling back up to hide her endoskeleton's teeth. Her eyebrow plates shifted, clasping her beak a couple times like she might if she was standing on the stage and she was able to speak to an audience.

Her fist was gone, leaning against the window as she held gazes with the child.

For his part, Shaggy remained quiet and white-knuckled in the crappy computer chair, leaning out of the way and trying to swallow his heart back into his throat.

Keeping her gaze locked on the animatronic, Nora spoke around her smile, "Uncle Shaggy, I might have an idea."

"L-like, shoot." He whispered back, keeping his spine pressed against the chair.

"You stay in here and watch the monitors, okay? I'm going to leave the office and look for Scooby Doo," she said calmly.

"Y-you're _what_?" The word was spoken in a stressed whisper, unwilling to make any sudden moves and catch that chicken's attention again.

"I-I'm not sure but I don't think these things mean me any harm. Look at how nice she seems towards me in comparison to you?" Nora turned to Shaggy then, "It was the same thing with that purple bunny earlier. It—before you got there, all it did was pat me on the head. It seemed... _gentle_. It didn't get aggressive until you rounded the corner."

At her uncle's horrified and disbelieving look, Nora sighed. "Look, I know this isn't exactly conclusive evidence or anything, but I think I can make it. Besides, Scooby is still out there. And you said that I had to trust you, right? Well then you oughta trust me some in return," she said, speaking with all the confidence and wisdom of a kid whom could barely claim fourteen years of age.

"Nora..." But if Nora was right, she might be the edge they needed, maybe? And the chicken was acting a lot differently, it was almost...strange. Well, in all honesty, this entire situation was strange. And getting stranger.

For some reason, his Velma senses were going off. He wondered if this was a clue.  
"Like, be quick. Really, REALLY quick. And if you don't feel safe you get out of here, o-okay? Go wait the in the van, anything. P-promise me, kiddo?" He whispered quietly.

It's not like Nora had never seen her uncle scared before. Actually, she was embarrassed at how many things frightened her uncle. But this time was different. She nodded, "I will, I promise." She took a deep breath and looked at the open door to her left. "Where is everyone?" She asked before stepping out into the darkness.

"Jinkies kiddo don't _call 'em_." Shaggy moaned quietly, flipping up the little laptop to check it, the ancient machine choking a bit.

"I just want to…I want to be prepared," she mumbled.

There was someone—some _thing_ —making an awful racket in the kitchen that she could mistake for the ruckus her foody-Uncle often made. Except he was sitting in the security room and there only logical explanation for someone in the kitchen was one of the robots was doing it.

"Freddy's on the stage. Uh...Bonnie's in the dining room...so I guess Chica's in the kitchen?" Nervous laugh. "Look's like she's getting something to eat, eh-heh."

"Hey, as long as it's not one of us," Nora laughed nervously, hoping to alleviate some of the tension but inadvertently adding to it. Nora turned back to the open doorway. "Um, say...I'm not scared or anything...but can I borrow your flashlight, uncle Shaggy? Is that cool?"

No, she's totally not scared, nope. "Mhm." He smiles gently and wordlessly hands over his only source of light besides the door lights.

"...be careful, Norry." He whispers, wincing at the clanking coming from the camera feed.

Nora gratefully took the flashlight. She stepped close to give Shaggy a quick, tight hug before taking off out the door and down the hall before he could hug her back. When she reached the corner, she slowed to a stop, very conscious of how loud her running footsteps echo in the grimy, empty hallways. Her mouth felt dry when she swallowed. She peeked around the corner and down the hallway. In a squeaky voice she called, "Scooby Doo?"

Something moved out behind her, something big and metal and distinctly _not_ Scooby-Doo, even if he was taller than her hip on all fours. She had stopped outside the kitchen, and Chica had wandered out at the sound of her voice, holding a paper plate with a reheated, if sad looking, piece of pizza.

Nora turned around slowly at the sound, her stomach dropping, and she held up her flashlight in a shaking grip to see the animatronic. Nora had to crank her neck a little to look at Chica in the face. She opened her mouth but only a high pitched squeak sounded at first. "H-h-h-hell-lo th-there-e, miss...ducky chicken thing?"

Aw-she was shaking! Chica supposed she couldn't blame her. This place got _so_ dark at night, and _lonely_ …

Chica cranked a few gears, forgetting Nora wouldn't understand her clicks of servos to form rudimentary syllables. When she remembered that wouldn't work, she held out the pizza quietly, as a sort of peace offering.

Nora flinched when Chica's gears were winding, making strange and ominous noises. She jumped again when robot moved to hold out the food. Nora tried to swallow her fear and she spoke in the most pleasant tone she could manage, even if a little more higher-pitched that usual.

"Oh, did you make me a snack? H-how, how thoughtful. I-I really like pizza," she said. Nora was a little afraid to find out if she declined to food so instead she accepted the plate and smiled awkwardly. "I, um, you didn't have to go through the trouble, really." As she and Chica stared one another down, Nora felt she had to do _something_. So she picked up the slice with one hand and took a bite. It wasn't the greatest but it didn't take like motor oil or grease, so that was a plus.

"Mmmmm," she over-exaggerated her response, "Mmhmm, _very_ good."

Chica tilted her head, giving a few clicks curiously. Then she made a swallowing motion, shifting her jaw a bit to mimic the motion that Nora should do. She was glad it was good but kids needed to swallow their food, silly!

Nora followed Chica's lead and swallowed the food. And, actually, it wasn't bad. And...she hadn't eaten since dinner, which was several hours ago in the evening...Nora looked up at Chica and weighed her options. What, was the robot chicken going to poison her via leftovers? And really, there were worse ways to go, considering the place and the circumstances. Nora sat down with her back to the wall, setting her flashlight aside. She continued eating her pizza while also wondering if bringing up Scooby would at all offend or anger Chica.

Now that their new kid was eating, Chica felt comfortable stepping by, though she took slow careful steps. She touched the top of Nora's head twice, rather amicably, as she walked the short distance to a room. She leaned in, giving a devoted number of noises that apparently meant something to someone because a second later someone came around the corner, and that was Bonnie, his ears shifting as he scanned the area and his eyes found Nora. Chica pointed excitedly.

Nora was halfway through her pizza and chewing gratefully when she looked over and saw the red of Bonnie's eyes looking at her. Her chewing slowly to a stop. _Oh, brilliant Nora! You're sitting cross-legged on the floor, your flashlight is on but out of your hand and you're mouth is too full to call for help. You. Idiot_.

She remained very still and her eyes went very wide as she stared at Bonnie during his exchange with Chica. She placed the paper plate in her lap so she had a free hand to offer a small wave. From their gestures and expressions she was guessing that they were not looking to attack her as Chica was about to attack Shaggy earlier, had she been given the chance. _Oh please just let that be the correct assumption._

Bonnie's mouth opened a little at the wave, nodding as once and returning the wave with a crinkle of those rusted eye plates. The rabbit seemed less interested in getting into her personal space, but he still watched her quietly, body grinding as he moved to another part of the hall, saying something to Chica as her jerked his head toward the red blinking light in the corner.

Just because Nora didn't understand their strange language of whirling gears didn't mean she could venture a few guesses. Nora's head whipped around to follow their line of vision. It was a camera. Whatever they were talking about or planning, it had to do with Shaggy. She was sure of it! And they probably weren't planning on delivering him some pizza to thank him for his good job as the night-watch. So, she swallowed her food a little under chewed, coughed and said a little rushed, "Hey, wait!" Getting their attention she gulped, "Um..I..I never got to come here before. What..um, what...can you show me around?"

Chica and Bonnie turned as one, halting to watch the little thing run up to stand between them. Bonnie hummed, as if thinking about something, while Chica clanked her beak eagerly and touched Nora's arm with surprising care, as if ushering a tiny toddler who could walk on their own just fine...but often wobbled precariously. After some debate Bonnie gave in and turned, following them as Chica motioned for Nora to follow her down the hall.

Relief washed over Nora like a wave. She had to keep these guys away from Shaggy while also looking for Scooby. From what she had observed and experienced, she had to guess that the animatronics liked her because she was a kid. It was kind of hard to ignore how Chica had seemingly been treating her like she was a youngster. _I...am older that I think she is guessing…but if I play up the part, maybe they'll be too focused on me to get to Uncle Shaggy_ she thought.

She took hold of one of Chica's hands, which was cold and a little sticky. She fought a grimace and smiled up at her guide, "Thank you! I bet you know all the most fun places," she chirped. "I can't wait to see more of this place!"

Nora was very aware of Bonnie behind her. She chose to look forward rather than to spare the rabbit a glance. It would feel traitorous to offer the animatronic that hurt her uncle and stole Scooby away any kindness. She felt anger boiling up but she kept her smile in place.

In hindsight it was probably a good thing Chica couldn't feel the hand holding her, or the way it was tightening briefly when Nora thought about Bonnie.

Chica lead her down the hall, right past the storage and around the corner, where a section of the hall was devoted to a wide door was a purple curtain hanging listlessly.

Nora eyed the small stage but took a step towards it but almost stumbled when Chica continued to walk passed it. _I gotta check that stage! Scooby might be there!_ Nora slipped her hand out of Chica's grip and moved quickly to the small performance area. She hopped onto the small stage and reached for the purple curtains. Pulled them apart and took only a step forward before she gasped and threw herself backwards, landing on her rump. Her heart was racing as she stared up at yet another animatronic, whose broken jaw, eye patch and hook made it look terrible and menacing. Her mouth hung open as she told herself not to scream and pleaded her heart to slow down. She was not expecting Foxy to be right behind the curtain.

Neither was Foxy—if the startled squawk was anything to go by. The robot jerked, jaw swinging as it ducked purposefully behind the curtain, it's matted tail swinging as it shied away from the light, and Nora. And like that, the fox was gone. Only a gently shifting curtain betrayed that there was anything behind there after all.

She had half a second to react, before a purple paw came down onto her shoulder. Bonnie's gears slid together in what he apparently hoped was a soothing noise, though that had a lot to be desired. Chica was at her other side, but she was gently rearranging the curtain in front of her and looking rather sad, her eye plates lowered half mast and her head swinging back and forth. Negative.

Nora got to her feet and calmed her breathing trying to discreetly duck away from Bonnie's paw. "Um… _oops_?" She says once Chica turns back to facing her. "Wha-what was that? It...ran away," she pointed out rather unnecessarily. "I'm…oh, okay," her voice was quiet as Chica held a finger to her beak.

Nora stepped off the stage and shined her light on the sign above the curtain that read: _Pirate Cove_. She then pointed the light on the sign she failed to notice before: _Sorry! We're Closed!_ The cogs in Nora's mind were spinning. _I've_ _gotta_ _check this place out again._

She look up at Chica and Bonnie and dared to ask, "Doesn't this one like kids?"

Both robots shared each other looks, then turned back to Nora and nodded vigorously as if to say 'of course!' And that was the truth. But they offered no more assistance or help on the mystery that was the fox animatronic. If anything, they seemed to try and usher Nora pointedly away from the little shrouded stage. The whole stage was gritty, dusty and Nora realized vaguely her hands were now covered in a thin layer of grime from that little escapade. Sure, the rest of the restaurant, what little she could see, wasn't in any better shape. But this place seemed…more so.

Like clean-up in this section had stopped _much_ earlier than the rest of the pizzeria.

Chica pointed to the door down the hall, wide and with large pothole shaped panes of glass. Those had some semblance of cleanliness. They weren't mugged up anyway, at least not horribly. The two robots pointed to the door, trying gently but firmly to herd the small girl.

The more eager the robots got the more hesitant Nora became. She would be in the room furthest from her uncle once she passed through those doors and that unnerved her. But she would also be the closest to the doors to exit the building. Even still, Nora felt just a bit anxious to continue on just yet. Feeling the need to stall, she looked left and right to find something that could provide a proper distraction. That's when she saw a door painted black. She pointed to it, "Hey, what's in that room?" She made her way towards it.

A short burst of static alerted her to Chica's arrival as she lumbered over, waving her hands and shaking her head. Bonnie joined her, pointing to the little plaque near the top of the door. Like everything else in the dark pizzeria, it was covered in a layer of dust so thick that even when the rabbit attempted wiping it away, it didn't do much good. _' ase nt'_ read the sign after a few swipes, and the rabbit just looked sadly at his covered paw before trying to clean it off one of the walls. This left a horrible looking streak that left way too little to the imagination.

Chica hummed a bit distractedly, shaking her head at Bonnie's hopelessness. Her hand came next, rubbing a little firmly. Now, a little faded, the sign read _Basement_ in slightly bolder letters.

Shining her flashlight at the sign to read it once Bonnie wiped it cleanish, Nora hummed. _I'm not afraid of a basement_ she scoffed. When she tried again, Bonnie stepped in front of her, blockading the door. He stared down at her in a way that made her skin crawl. Nora shrunk back. She squeaked in surprise when Chica's hands came down on her shoulders. Nora craned her neck to see Chica, who looking down at her with a less severe expression than Bonnie, and pointing insistently towards the doors they were leading towards before.

Nora whined a little in the back of her throat but let them led her across the room and through the doors.

The dining room was neatly organized in terms of layout, with the stage at the back of the room and the kitchen across the stage and the rows of table between them. The rest of the place was a disaster area, like the night crew that came in before lock up was only worried about making sure the chairs were remotely close to tables, and said tables only quickly wiped down. And there was the doors, large glass angels into freedom where a single light lit up the walkway to the parking lot. If she squinted, she could make out the Mystery Machine sitting by itself out there. The only source of light was Nora's flashlight, the lamp post outside and the red blink of the security camera trained on the stage. It swept the area slowly, tracking. For now, the animatornics seemed too focused on Nora worry about the cameras or Shaggy right now.

The dining room was just as dark as the rest of the halls and rooms. But the problem was is it wasn't dark _enough_ to hide the tall figure looming in the corner. Before Nora could say or do anything else, Bonnie and Chica made enough metal noises to wake the dead, let alone the animatronic standing there holding a mic.

And with a whine of servos and a click of gears, Freddy Fazbear opened his eyes, and turned to stare in their direction.

If her hands weren't clasped in the hands of two animatronics Nora would have split. She looked around, finding the blinking red light of a surveillance camera. She cast a panicked look at it before whipping her head around to look at Freddy, who had at this point turned his body towards his company. _I can't these guys near uncle Shaggy but-but-I don't—_ She felt her heart pounding harder with each step towards the performance stage.

Freddy's jaw moved, only to slide open a little bit, the speakers giving a crackle of life. That was where it ended though, half a word of _'H-hey kids—'_ before the faulty equipment gave out with an eerie whine. All looked a bit disappointed, even Freddy, though he quickly masked it with an attempt at a smile and a wave, pointing to her.

Tears were springing to her eyes in her panic but she made her best effort to blink them back. Before she could truly brace herself, Nora was standing before the stage. Freddy was staring down at her with his supposed smile and waving. Both Bonnie and Chica let go of her hands. Bonnie gave her a little nudge when she didn't response.

Nora held up a shaking hand but couldn't wave back. It was hard not to feel like she might be a human sacrifice. These feelings didn't exactly improve when Chica picked her up to place her on stage beside Freddy. Finally she squeaked, "H-h-h-hi—a-are you Fr-Freddy?"

The robot nodded eagerly, tilting his head to see her a bit better, his jaw sliding up on its hinge. He watched the others clamber back onto the stage, Chica on his right and Bonnie on his left. Bonnie picked up a fallen guitar quickly, its strap swinging uselessly as it locked into place on his paws. The whole gang struck a pose—which might have been more awesome if there was sound, and also might not have been so scary if they weren't animatronics with blotchy stains that had several inches of height on her.

Of course, this _was_ a pizzeria. And this _was_ a place to entertain kids. It seemed that, despite the muck and mildew, the darkness and the creepy atmosphere, all the animatronics were still trying to do their jobs.

And then finally, with much static and a large boom and pop, the speakers managed to strain to life with music and singing. ' _Hey kids,'_ he repeated as he gave his introduction to their show, ' _Nice to meetcha! Know what goes great with your Fazbear pizza?'_

A feminine voice broke in and Chica turned to Freddy, her beak moving out of sync with the words, _'Oh! I know! It's music!'_

' _Chica,'_ whined another male voice, Bonnie's head swiveled to his left and his ears bobbed up and down. " _You need to give the kids a chance to guess!"_

Freddy's head moved along with the laughing through the speaker, " _That's alright, Bonnie. Their mouths are full anyway. How about we play them a song while they eat?"_

During this entire exchange Nora stood completely still, taking in this act that they were programmed to perform. She grew a little less terrified and a little more incredulous.

* * *

Across the pizzeria and in the little security room, Shaggy wasn't sure what to make of this.

This whole night was a disaster from start to finish—well it was calming down now, at least. It seemed. But he still didn't know where the hell Scooby-Doo was, and Nora was doing such a good job distracting those creepy robots it didn't look like she had a chance to look around anymore. He should have just been grateful she was still on the camera feed, and he was. She had gotten off it only a handful of times, usually between switching rooms he noticed, and once when she was near that Pirate's Cove joint. Shaggy kept a vague running list of the blind spots the cameras had, stomach in his throat every time he had to flick between views to spot his tiny niece.

The man reluctantly hit a button, letting the screen flip to the camera in the hallway, and saw nothing. He switched through the cameras once more, but ended back up on the main room where the robots and, thankfully, Nora still were. Leaning uncomfortably back into the old swivel chair, he pushed a long leg out and rubbed his face tiredly, shoulders twitching when his fingers brushed against the aching bump under his hair.

Man, did his head hurt. It probably wasn't anything serious, and besides, he had bigger worries on his mind right now than a little headache. The biggest worry beeped faintly—the power was at an uneasy 27%, and it was dropping steadily. Was it dropping faster than usual, or was it his imagination? With this throbbing headache, it was a wonder he wasn't seeing pink elephants at this point, honestly.

"What a mess." Shaggy moaned softly, talking to himself for two reasons. One, it filled the silence and two, Scooby-Doo wasn't here to talk to. That was the second biggest problem, and Shaggy felt the anxiety crawl up his spine with jagged talons and sink into the back of his head. Now, there was the ringing in his head from the possible concussion he had—or something else altogether? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. It took Shaggy several breaths and several blinks to rid the black spots in the corner of his vision. By the time he could think again with the dull ringing in-between his ears, those creepy musicians were still singing, and Nora was still with them. The camera turned slowly in place, falling on her smiling but slightly strained face. She wasn't running for the exit, so he hoped that weak smile was a good sign.

In a feeble attempt to garner some knowledge of their current situation, Shaggy ran through what he already knew. It was a trick he'd seen Velma and Freddy do so many times; it had to work for them. Fact, he was the night guard. Fact, Scooby was MIA and possibly in trouble, but, also fact: the animatronics were all with Nora. Fact, Scooby was an ace hider. He wouldn't move if he thought there was a chance of getting caught again. The dog also knew that at 6am, the robots went off. Er, except for that one in Pirate's Cove. Which he hadn't seen hide nor hair of. Uh, let's see. Fact, these robots thought he was an endo-skinny something and would, if given the chance, shove him into one of the suits in the back room.

Shaggy shuddered.

But some of the pieces just weren't fitting. This was the job of a sleuth, Velma always reminded him. Find the piece that doesn't fit, and dig until you come to the correct puzzle. They weren't trying to stuff Nora in a suit, not at all. They were looking and acting like the beloved kid's entertainers they apparently were in the day time. So, what was the deal?

What made him so different? And what were these kooky bots trying to hide from him, but not Nora?

His head throbbed again, but from over-thinking or physical injury, Shaggy couldn't be sure. "Like, maybe some music will take my mind off this disaster of a night." He bemoaned to the empty room, devoting one hand to rubbing the lump on his skull.

" _I_ _n a cavern, in a canyon…Excaaavating for a mine…"_ He sang off key poorly, knee bouncing a little harder as he flicked through the security feed. No sign of that pirate's cove guy yet. Phew. _"Dwelt a miner forty-niner….and his daaughter Clementine."_ Shaggy paused. "Like, jinkies. That just makes me think of that spooky old Miner. All I need, one more monster coming after me."

Letting himself only whistle the refrain of the song this time, he trailed off as he glanced at the power.

"12%? Swell." He moaned, clapping a hand over his face before he dared look at the clock. That he did by sliding a finger down his face, staring at the modest little clock on the edge of the desk.

 _5:51._ His heart leapt to his throat. They could make it.

In fact…

Shaggy flipped through the screens just one more time, before closing the laptop slowly and softly. The fan was the only noise in the room as he backed up the chair, putting some distance between him and the desk and incidentally, closer to the door.

He leaned out, staring down the hall, and waited quietly.

* * *

The band was wrapping up their next song and joke bit as Nora tried very hard to cover up a yawn. She glanced towards the glass doors and noted the sky lighting up. Boy did her eyes hurt from how much she was rubbing them. Distantly she thought to herself that surely it had to be at least after five...maybe almost six? That would be nice.

She pinched one of her forearms to wake herself up some. She hadn't been able to leave the dining room which meant that she couldn't look for Scooby and she was getting increasingly anxious, which only served to wear her out more.

Nora wondered what the chances were that she could excuse herself without having to worry that any of them would go after Shaggy.

 _Yeah. Right._

They must have had internal clocks themselves, or something, because they seemed to notice either Nora's grogginess or the sky getting lighter.

Bonnie lowered his guitar, and Freddy raised his microphone and other arm, waving with the free one.

After a burst of static, the voice finally chugged through.

"I think that's all for now kids! Don't forget to stop by the Prize Counter and use those ti-ti-tickets!"

"Take ho-home some pizSSHZRTza!" Chica's electronic voice chirped in what was supposed to be a pleasant manner.

Freddy took the stage once more,

"Thanks for coming to Freddy Fazbear's! I'll see you next time..."

Nora winced at the glitches in the sound system. She slowly stood up from her seat when the animatronics did seem like they were really finished and weren't approaching her. Her back cracked as she did so. 'Wait, are they really done? This is it! If they just stay put I can probably go look for-'

That when she heard a familiar screaming coming from down the hall. "What in the-?"

In retrospect, it was probably a good thing who ever designed the doors into the dining hall made them swinging. That meant that instead of blowing clear through them—which he had done and could do—Shaggy only burst through and shot straight for Nora.

"Six o' clock! Time for us to make like chains saws and _bug out!_ " He yelped, not bothering with grabbing her arm, no. Norry was little and Shaggy was so, so scared for her, he just scooped her right up, something crashing to his left, and flat out sprinted for the exit.

Nora yelped, not expecting Shaggy to pick her up and run with her, dropping her flash light in the process and watched it skid across the floor. But, wait! She still hadn't found Scooby! She barely got to look for him at all!

Shaggy didn't even respond, which was a good testament as any as to how petrified he was for the both of them, maybe more so for his baby niece.

He was out the door and into the safety of the van in under twenty seconds, a new record.

Scooby-Doo would have been proud.

The echoing noise of the vehicle as it drove away was a noise all too familiar to the Fazbear gang. Blue glass eyes lowered from the now shut front doors, following the abandoned flashlight as it rolled in a bid for freedom under the table, where it vanished. Gone. Just like those little kids. Just like that little girl, just now.

Taken.

His eyes darkened, and Freddy and the others reluctantly fell into their locked mode.

Tomorrow, they would come down on that cursed guard once and for all, and avenge the little child they couldn't save. Yes, tomorrow...

Tomorrow was another day.

* * *

 **Honey: The delay in posting is very much my fault, as per usual. I took my sweet time editing my portion of the chapter. Again. Now I feel bad, bad llama.  
**

 **Charlie: Miner 49er is of course, in reference to that one episode of SDWAY? I needed a song for Shaggy to sing off tune, and it was fun to bring up hold ghosts. What. Too soon?**


End file.
